The emergence and need for explainable AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, particularly deep learning models, have revolutionized numerous sectors with their unprecedented performance capabilities. However, the intricate structures of these models often result in a "black-box" characterization, making their decisions difficult to understand and trust. Explainable AI (XAI) emerges as a solution, aiming to unveil the inner workings of complex AI systems. This paper embarks on a comprehensive exploration of prominent XAI techniques, evaluating their effectiveness, comprehensibility, and robustness across diverse datasets. Our findings highlight that while certain techniques excel in offering transparent explanations, others provide a cohesive understanding across varied models. The study accentuates the importance of crafting AI systems that seamlessly marry performance with interpretability, fostering trust and facilitating broader AI adoption in decision-critical domains.