We live in a world where technology plays a vital role in many aspects of our daily lives. In the near future, some employees with jobs that require repetitive or routine tasks would be replaced with artificial intelligence like robots if they did not learn new skills.
With the way technology is evolving, we cannot afford to sit back and fold our arms without getting ourselves acquainted with the latest developments.
We need to update our skills and get adequate information, which is what we will look at in detail as we go further.
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that deals with the development of machines and computers to perform tasks that basically require human intelligence. In artificial intelligence, machines or robots are programmed to think and act like humans; they are programmed in a way that they can mimic human behavioral patterns in aspects of decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
AI technologies are already integrated into our day-to-day activities and as they continue to advance through research and development, the impact of AI on the economy, society, businesses, and industries is ever-evolving.
As we go further, we will take a look at the history of AI, its types and benefits and what the future holds for AI.
Potential Artificial Intelligence Ideas For Future
With the ever increasing need for AI in various sectors, here are some potential ideas for artificial intelligence for the future:
- AI for sustainable development: AI can be leveraged to monitor climate change and how it affects the environment, optimize resources and create sustainable development goals.
- AI in agriculture: Technology can be applied to agriculture to monitor crops, implement new planting methods, control and detect crop pests and diseases and also increase productivity.
- Virtual assistants: There are AI-generated virtual assistants that can listen and understand human needs while providing solutions to them in the best way possible, as programmed
- AI in arts and creativity: AI is also relevant in the fields of art, music, design and literature. AI can generate ideas and push you to be very creative by providing you with different tools you can use.
- Autonomous or self-driving cars: In the near future, autonomous cars are bound to take over from the ones we have presently. AI driven cars will provide safety and enable a good transportation system.
History Of Artificial Intelligence
The history of artificial intelligence dates back to ancient times, when there were stories and myths of artificial beings full of intelligence. That is what led to the invention of the programmable digital computer in the 1940s, a computer based on mathematical reasoning. This discovery inspired many scientists to begin research on the possibility of building an electronic brain.
According to Wikipedia, Alan Turing was the first person to carry out substantial research in the field that he described as machine intelligence. This research was carried out in the USA on the Dartmouth College campus in 1956 and it was heavily funded with millions of dollars.
After a while, the US and British governments withdrew funding because of the difficulty encountered in the research project. It wasn’t until the 2020s that artificial intelligence gained recognition again when machine learning solved many problems in academics, industries and even in healthcare sector due to the powerful functions of computer in storing and collection of data.
Over the years to come, the impact of artificial intelligence is going to further advance as research and innovation keeps evolving.
Types Of Artificial Intelligence
Based on functions and capacity, artificial intelligence is generally classified into four types which are:
1. Limited memory
Modern artificial intelligence can be referred to as limited memory. The AI is usually trained with new data through a training model and over time it can store the data and use the memory to improve its functionality. Limited memory leverages the amount of data they can store from previous experiences or from historical data, which they can later use in decision-making. The only challenge with limited-memory AI is that they do not retain this memory for a long period of time, as they are mostly used in real-time situations.
Examples of limited memory AI is autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars)
- Reactive machines: this type of artificial intelligence does not use memory and cannot store new data for the learning process. It only functions based on already programmed rules. They operate based on current data and unlike limited-memory AI, they do not possess internal memory nor can they store data from previous experiences. They also do not adapt over time; instead, they take decisions based on preprogrammed rules.
Examples of reactive machines AI are: pathfinding algorithms, chess playing programs, rule-based expert systems such as financial analysis or medical diagnosis systems.
2. Theory of mind
This particular type of artificial intelligence does not exist yet but is currently under ongoing research. The possibilities of this artificial intelligence are such that it can emulate the human mind even in decision-making aspects. This AI would basically function like a human would; it would recognize emotions and react like humans. In the near future, we might be living with robots that have been programmed to behave like we do; they will listen and communicate effectively with us, reason like us and even share our emotions.
3. Self-aware AI
Just like the theory of the mind, self-aware artificial intelligence also does not exist yet. But guess what? This self-aware AI is a step ahead of the theory of the mind; it is an AI that is believed to exist and has the same emotional and intellectual abilities as humans.
Presently, the development of self-aware AI remains speculative and theoretical, which leads us back to the origin of AI, where it all started with artificial beings. This puzzle is yet to be unraveled as research is still ongoing, but as time goes on, we will have a clearer understanding of the possibilities of artificial intelligence.
Impact Of AI In Various Sectors
Artificial intelligence has affected and played a vital role in major industries across the world today. While some sectors have harnessed the potential of AI to their advantage, others are just beginning their AI journey. In all, we cannot overemphasize the impact of AI in our everyday lives. Let’s take a look at some of the sectors that AI has impacted.
1. AI In Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry has greatly benefited from AI over the years. With the aid of AI-enabled industrial robots in the form of machines, it has become easier to perform numerous tasks with the supervision of humans, which leads to more productivity and saves time.
2. AI In Transportation
With the invention of self-driving cars, the transportation industry has been rapidly evolving. With time and through research, more discoveries will be made and autonomous cars might end up taking over in the future.
3. AI In Healthcare
Several advancements have been made in the healthcare sector. Since the discovery of big data analytics and its capabilities, scientists, with the aid of AI, have had breakthroughs in identifying diseases quickly and accurately, drug and vaccine discovery, and even patient monitoring through virtual health assistants.
4. AI In Education
In the education sector, AI has been integrated into various aspects of learning and has numerous benefits. AI can analyze the learning styles of students and tailor content to meet their needs. AI also provides intelligent tutoring systems, language learning, research and development, and so on. These days, you can easily take courses and school online from any part of the world and this has transformed the education sector.
5. AI In Customer Service
Artificial intelligence in customer service comes in the form of virtual assistants and chatbots. Artificial intelligence works with programmed data provided by the industry to facilitate communication with customers. This has made it easier for customers to get quick and insightful responses whenever they reach out to customer service.
Benefits Of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence provides a wide range of benefits for industries and organizations. Here are some of the benefits:
- Automation: AI can automatically generate workflows and processes, which increases efficiency and output. Some factories may use AI in the form of robots to monitor work processes, including cyber security and product inspection.
- Accuracy: artificial intelligence can process information faster than humans and can easily and quickly detect information that humans may miss.
- It eliminates repetitive tasks: AI can be used to carry out repetitive tasks like verifying documents, answering calls or answering customers’ questions.
- It reduces human error: AI is preprogrammed and follows certain processes every time, so it will eliminate errors when processing data, unlike humans, who are prone to making mistakes.
- 24/7 availability: since AI works with data, it is not limited by time and does not need breaks; it works continually, unlike humans, whose time and the need to take breaks limit their efficiency.
Final Words
Artificial intelligence is the future. It has and will keep revolutionizing our world with new and innovative applications. As the world is evolving through technology, we also need to improve our tech skills so we can adapt and fit in with the latest developments.