Artificial intelligence, or AI, can be thought of as a field of computer science focused on creating machines capable of performing tasks just as a human might. Although the human brain has yet to be replicated through technology, the development of AI is becoming increasingly universal and competitive. Take the various Global AI Challenges, for example, which aim at creating discoveries and advances in the field of smart technology.
Interestingly enough, there are a handful of people who fear the development of self-learning technology. Anxiety about AI isn’t too difficult to understand. The idea of humanity ending up in stasis pods like those in The Matrix and encountering characters such as the Terminator is not very appealing. However, we must remove ourselves from the movie screens and consider the fact that these assumptions are merely hypothetical. As stated by Matthew Stewart on TowardsDataScience, there are multiple limitations that prevent AI from reaching a level where it could exceed the learning capabilities of even a human baby. While AI has been progressing at an incredible rate, factors such as ethics (are machines living creatures?) and “bad data” (is my data enough/reliable?) serve as a bottleneck for AI development.
It would be far more appropriate to consider the benefits that AI have given us throughout these years, rather than to dwell on unproven theories. In many industries, labour that involves assembly and other dangerous tasks have been assisted by automated machines. This is not only economic for the companies that use AI in industrial work, but also safe for workers that could potentially injure themselves if put in the same position. Additionally, AI-powered technologies such as hazard detection and smart footage can limit the risks, as well as increase efficiency for construction jobs that require human labour.
In our daily lives, advancements in AI have allowed us to take more control over our daily lives. Smart weather forecasting, for example, allows us to accurately predict bad weather as far as two weeks from today. Artificial intelligence algorithms in the medical field can help to accurately identify areas on the human body that doctors might overlook. Other areas that AI has improved can be found in transportation, education, the media, and even the devices that you are using to read this blog post.
At Sprout AI, we aim to encourage youth to embrace AI and to recognize what AI has been able to do for people over the past 64 years, ever since its introduction as a field of science. By teaching young students to innovate in the field of AI, we can help to shape a future where AI developers create the safest and most efficient artificial intelligence technology.