While the terms ‘Artificial Intelligence’ (AI) and ‘Virtual Reality’ (VR) may bring to mind the robots and androids of the future, tech-savvy wizards know that the age of AI is already upon us. Used in everything from e-commerce websites to online casinos, to airport check-in desks, hotel rooms, and children’s toys, AI is an often-hidden but important part of our day-to-day lives.
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
AI is already impacting many aspects of your life because of its versatility and usefulness. But what is it?
AI is a method of computer programming that ‘learns’ by interacting with users – both human and other AI and VR-enabled programs. By regularly analyzing the data it is receiving, it is able to incorporate this new information into what it already knows about the situation and the user – you. This results in software programs that understand human needs on an intuitive level, and that can enhance experiences and predict your needs before you even know you have them.
AI-enhanced software can be integrated into many different devices, including airplanes, physical spaces (such as hotel rooms and offices), cars, smartphones, medical devices, and security and fire alarms.
As you can imagine, AI is eminently useful in a wide array of arenas. Here are just a few of the sectors that AI is improving – and how it is making your life easier.
Translation when traveling or working abroad
The most complex hurdles to navigate when traveling abroad or trying to work with people from other countries is the language barrier. Without the means to communicate quickly and effectively, all discourse can go out the window.
AI programs are poised to change all of that. Both Skype and Microsoft have developed and introduced real-time machine translation, allowing you to communicate easily with anyone who speaks one of the world’s 100 most common languages. Google and Apple want to take this even further, by developing AI-enhanced programs for a sizeable chunk of the planet’s 7,000 languages.
Medical science and patient care
At its best, AI can learn and think like a human, and can gain valuable insights into a person’s psychology and physiology. Programs are currently being developed to utilize AI to run diagnostics, as well as to assist surgeons with complex and difficult surgeries. Some experts even predict that patients will one day be seen and treated by robot doctors.
Car, rail, air and marine transportation
This one should come as no surprise to anyone who reads the news! Self-driving cars are already on the market, though some people have fears about the safety of these vehicles. While the technology is not yet perfect, many experts claim that much of our future transportation will be operated by AI technology.
AI can help with the most dangerous jobs
The world’s most dangerous jobs have shockingly high fatality rates, but AI-programmed robots are set to change this grim fact. Robots are now being used for a variety of dangerous jobs, including putting out forest fires, cleaning up nuclear waste, defusing bombs, and doing jobs deep beneath the surface of the sea.
While many of these robots are currently being operated by humans from afar, in the future they will be conducted solely by AI programming.
Helping you with your pets and plants
While you would probably want to spend all of your time with your pet if you could, it’s not always possible. AI programs will soon be able to automatically top up their food and water at appropriate times, let them outside, and let you know if they are acting strangely or need medical attention. You will be able to breathe a sigh of relief when you are away from your beloved furry friend.
AI will soon be an integral part of our world
There’s no denying
that some people express fears over a ‘Terminator’ style dystopia, and they
wonder ‘how far is too far when it comes to a computer controlled world?’ That
said, these worries seem to be overstated, and there is no evidence that AI can
‘get out of control’.
No matter what, AI is predicted to take over many dangerous, difficult, and
tedious jobs in the future, making our world a more pleasant place to live. How
do you feel about the rise of AI?
