From the earliest symbolic systems to the rise of neural networks and today's generative models, artificial intelligence has reshaped technology, business, and society. This book provides a comprehensive journey through the foundations of AI, the breakthroughs that power modern applications, and the challenges that lie ahead. Inside, readers will find not only a clear explanation of key concepts, such as supervised and unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and deep neural architectures, but also a detailed exploration of applied AI in various domains, including healthcare, finance, education, creativity, and autonomous systems. Beyond technical frameworks, the book addresses ethics, fairness, safety, privacy, and global regulation, areas that will define the responsible use of AI in the years to come. Through concrete examples, quantified results, and economic tradeoffs, this guide equips engineers, executives, and decision-makers with the knowledge to navigate AI's rapid evolution. Each chapter seamlessly blends rigorous detail with accessibility, ensuring that readers emerge with a grounded understanding of how AI works, where it is headed, and why it matters.