Was "ai" a word before Artificial Intelligence? Yes

Historically, "ai" is the name for a type of three-toed sloth native to the tropical rainforests of South America.  The word entered the English language in the 17th century.  It was borrowed from the Tupi language of Brazil, where it imitates the animal's high-pitched, plaintive cry.

I inherited a brown tee-shirt showing a sloth hanging on a tree from my friend Donna after she died.  I found the photo above online, but I can't find one that is exactly like Donna's.  She got her shirt because she liked to play Bananagrams (a game like Scrabble), where knowing that "ai" is a word is very helpful.