Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of machines to interpret data and act intelligently, meaning they can make decisions and carry out tasks based on the data at hand – rather like a human does.
Chances are you’ve read a lot about AI in recent years – particularly how it’s going to save the world and/or end civilization as we know it. It’s certainly true that AI attracts a lot of hype and, shall we say, colorful predictions. But, unlike some technology trends, much of the hype surrounding AI is entirely justified. It truly is a transformative technology – one that will dramatically alter our lives in very real ways.
Not quite convinced? Here are five reasons why I believe AI is going to change the world in 2020 and beyond.
Ever asked Alexa for the morning weather report, or passed through a public space that uses facial recognition technology, or paid for something using your credit card, or bought a product recommended to you by Amazon, or browsed potential love matches on a dating app? Of course, you have. Most of us have done one or all of these things, probably in the last week. Probably in the last 24 hours.
And, you guessed it, all of these everyday processes are underpinned by AI and data. AI allows your credit card company to determine – in the blink of an eye – that your latest transaction fits your spending pattern and isn’t fraudulent. Mastercard, for example, uses AI algorithms to assess the 75 billion transactions a year processed on its network. So, to put it bluntly, AI is already deeply embedded in your everyday life, and it’s not going anywhere.
2. AI isn’t just infiltrating everyday life, it’s going to transform entire industries
The impact of AI is already being felt in a wide range of industries, from banking and retail to farming and manufacturing. In healthcare, AI is being used to identify (and, in some cases, even predict) disease, helping healthcare providers and their patients make better treatment and lifestyle decisions.
AI systems can even outperform human experts when it comes to identifying disease; in January 2020, clinical trials of AI software developed by Google Health confirmed that the software was better at spotting signs of breast cancer in mammograms than radiologists. The system also flagged fewer “false positive” results than the experts.
3. AI will make us more human, not less
As machines become more intelligent, they can carry out more and more tasks – leading to rising automation across most industries. With this rise in automation comes valid concerns about the impact on human jobs. But, while there’s no doubt that automation will lead to the displacement of many jobs, I believe it will also create new jobs – jobs that value our uniquely human capabilities like creativity and empathy.
AI will also make our working lives better. Journalism is one industry that’s undergoing an AI revolution, and there are many AI tools that help journalists identify and write stories.
