Explain natural language processing (NLP).

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a branch of artificial intelligence that emphasizes the interaction between computers and humans using natural language. This involves the ability to read, decipher, understand, and make sense of human language in a valuable way. NLP is integral to numerous applications, such as chatbots, translation services, sentiment analysis, and more, enabling machines to communicate and respond in ways that are natural and intuitive for users.

The focus on interaction through natural language means that NLP encompasses a variety of tasks, including language understanding, language generation, and even voice recognition as part of a broader dialogue system. This interplay allows for the development of applications that can comprehend and generate human language, facilitating more meaningful and effective communication between machines and people.

Other options highlight narrower or inaccurate aspects of NLP, such as focusing solely on voice recognition or being limited to customer service applications, which do not capture the full scope of what this technology encompasses.