By Isle of Wight Observer
There has been a lot in the media and across social channels on the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI). But what is AI?
Firstly, AI is not ‘intelligent’, certainly not as we know it. As many experts confirm, it is simply a simulation of human intelligence (hence, artificial). AI is simply a computer program able to learn and make decisions on its own and using machines to do things that humans would normally be relied upon to do.
AI has been around for some time; most if not all of us have experienced it and continue to each and every day. Virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, fraud detection on financial transactions, chatbots on websites, facial recognition in security systems, the tailored advertising you see on TV and the product recommendations on shopping websites, navigation in our cars that not only directs us to our destination but takes into account traffic flow, roadworks and which side of the road the destination is located, autocorrect when you write a document and tools such as Grammarly that check spelling, clarity, grammar, punctuation and more. All are examples of how AI interacts with us in our everyday lives.
As with all things, there are positives and negatives. On the positive side, AI is very good at analysing enormous amounts of data (big data) and performing tasks that are repetitive and difficult for humans to perform or perform consistently. Robots using AI are used in car production assembly lines, by on-line retailers to pick products and make up orders for shipment, through to NASA who use them to move satellites in space.
Autonomous (Self-driving) cars use a combination of sensors, cameras, radar and AI to pilot vehicles while staying in lane and avoiding unexpected obstructions, such as pedestrians. AI has allowed us to make significant advances in healthcare, diagnosing illness and disease much earlier. In education, AI helps teachers mark papers through to lesson planning and adaptive learning to tailor the content, pace and feedback to a student’s individual needs and preferences.
On the negative side, there are drawbacks, including fear of job losses for those undertaking repetitive and manual tasks, but also skilled workers where AI can replace the years of learning needed in sectors such as banking, insurance, software development and science industries. There are also ethical concerns about bias and privacy, the security risks from hacking and a lack of human creativity and empathy. Some fear AI taking over, as if a scene from the film ‘Terminator’; however experts are working hard to mitigate any risk through regulation, better accountability and strict ethical guidelines.
AI is important for its potential to change how we live, work and play – a tool for us to use. Whilst making great strides in recent years, it lacks the creativity, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving skills which will always limit its capability and make it very different from us as humans.
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