An algorithm is software that executes a list of specific instructions for calculating or solving problems. We’ve often heard the word algorithm used with social media or video streaming. Like any programming code, algorithms are not inherently good or bad. They operate strictly according to the instructions they’ve been given.

One of the most important indicators of algorithmic function is automation. Algorithms naturally act as stand-ins for humans, using fixed values to determine a course of action for various inputs. Think of a web search to figure out what results to present, the automated regulation of content that is and is not appropriate, and so on.

Automated software, however, is not necessarily an algorithm. Algorithms are like small automated processes for individual functions, while software automation often performs more than one task without human supervision. So it’s more likely to think of automated software as a collection of different algorithms, each focusing on a different function within the whole. Think of algorithms as a predefined process that tells software how to make a decision, and AI as software that uses data to make its own decision.

An algorithm starts with an initial input — numbers, words, visual content, etc. Then the program iterates through the list to determine what to do with it. The results vary depending on the purpose of the algorithm, and can include anything from numerical calculations to decision making. And those decisions can include categorization, restriction, deletion, ranking, promotion, etc.