Artificial Intelligence (AI)
I was given the idea for this article via a real-life situation. My wife and I went on a vacation out of the US via a cruise ship. Coming back to US after being out of the country several days provided me with something I have not seen used before. I did not need my passport to get back into my home country…I only needed my face?!
We walked off of the ship, down several ramps and when we got to the exit, we were quite surprised. Up until this point, we had to show our passports at the point of entry. However, this time we were asked to look into an iPad-like screen on a stand at the door. It drew a yellow square around my face and said I was OK to reenter the United States. Several people in line around us were denied entry when their faces were scanned. I do not know what was up with them, but they looked innocent enough to me. This seemed a little scary.
This was one of the first times I actually thought about AI affecting me personally. Although, Artificial Intelligence has been around us for quite a while. Before I proceed, what is AI?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technology that enables machines to learn and even “think”, a little like a human. AI is used in a variety of applications, such as natural language processing (Google Translations), image recognition (entering the US), robotics (computer assisted surgery), and autonomous vehicles (yes, those dependable self-driving cars).
AI allows machines to process data, decide, and take action without human input, allowing them to learn from their experiences. AI technology has the potential to transform the way businesses operate, from automating dull, everyday tasks to providing more personalized experiences for customers.
I believe the pluses are:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) may help us make better decisions by providing us with more accurate information and insights. It can improve our safety by helping to identify potential threats and provide early warnings. Also, AI can automate some things we do now which will, in turn, free up time for us to focus on other tasks. We could have more time to explore new things and increase our knowledge. It might provide us with more personalized services, that are made specifically to our needs and likings.
But the minuses could be:
There are many legitimate concerns about artificial intelligence; for instance, it could cause job losses as it automates tasks that used to be done by humans? AI, if not carefully and accurately designed, can be programmed in ways that can be biased and discriminatory, which can lead to unfair outcomes. Could it be used to manipulate or spy on people, which can infringe upon their privacy? Thinking of my face being scanned at the port of entry into the US. Could that be used against me one day? We may not be able to disagree with referees in sporting events if they are replaced by instant replays with instant AI calls. This could all lead to unintended outcomes.
AI has been around for years. Even I started building macros 20 years ago, to run monotonous procedures in software applications. It did things for me that were boring and repetitive, but I could program it to run those steps repeatedly without me having to bother with them. This gave me more time to work on other tasks in the office. The simple things I had previous done by hand were then handled by my computer in the background.
Artificial Intelligence is affecting the world. I have read that it could be possible that by 2030, AI could do 50% of all jobs currently done by people. If this is true, my concern is what about the people. We are doing these jobs now, but if AI continues to advance, what are half of us going to be doing for a living?
