Introduction
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is often presented as “computers understanding human language.” That is misleading. NLP systems analyze patterns and probabilities—they don’t truly understand meaning like humans.
What Is NLP?
NLP is a field of AI that enables computers to process, interpret, and generate human language, including text and speech.
Core Components
- Syntax and grammar analysis
- Semantics and meaning extraction
- Sentiment analysis
- Machine translation
- Text-to-speech and speech-to-text
Applications
- Chatbots and virtual assistants
- Spam detection and email filtering
- Sentiment analysis for social media
- Translation services
- Voice-controlled devices
Challenges
- Ambiguity in human language
- Sarcasm, idioms, and context understanding
- Multilingual support complexity
- Data quality and bias
Common Misconceptions
- NLP “understands” language (it only predicts patterns)
- NLP can replace human communication completely
Conclusion
NLP is powerful for processing language at scale but is statistical, not cognitive. Understanding its limitations prevents overreliance and unrealistic expectations.