If you go to any forward-looking business event, chances are that you can play buzzword bingo with words such as crypto, block-chain, machine learning, and disruption. Chances are that the word AI slips in there as well. It’s also highly likely that the person using these tech buzzwords actually does not fully understand what he or she is talking about, but does anyone really? Can someone really explain the block-chain principle clearly, or does anyone truly understands the ins and outs of machine learning and AI? The latter might not even need some complex explanation, as we can show the result of AI in objects we use in our daily lives.
In Your Pocket
You don’t need to look further than your pocket to find a smartphone. The obvious example would be the voice assistant you have available. These assistants are sophisticated pieces of software that exists purely through complex networks that have been trained to deal with the myriad of complexity is involved in processing speech. The voice assistants are actually not the best example; however, more fascinating is the ability to search the pictures you take with search keywords. Somehow we are at a point where ‘the machine’ can ‘see’ and ‘understand’ what it ‘sees.’ Again, this is AI at work with a healthy dose of training of the machine required to get at this point.
In Business
AI is being used in business everywhere. When applied to planning systems, it can take complex scheduling tasks and learn the optimum approach over time. AI in business shines when it comes to tasks that are bulky and repetitive, but complex enough to need more than setting a few simple rules. Artificial intelligence for recruiting helps to filter through reams of applications, picking out those ones that provide the best candidates, it can help with creating an easier and more flexible interview process once the application is accepted and it can do so 24/7. Chatbots in business is another example of how impactful AI can be. AI is genuinely touching all aspects of businesses, and it no longer feels like something in the periphery.
On Social Media
Maybe less obvious, or taken more for granted, is AI in our social media and news feeds. You might not have expected it, but the way Facebook or Twitter shows you your feed is not a simple task of what was most recent. It is heavily influenced by AI to make sure your feed is as engaging as possible to keep you on the platform. Obviously, the more you stay on those platforms, the more value you generate as an ad view or click, which underpins the earnings models of most social media platforms. And not to end on this ‘AI is helping keep people trapped on social media-vibe, it might be useful to mention that Facebook also uses AI for distinctively positive purposes. AI is powering something they call ‘Proactive Detection’ which scans people’s pages and detects patterns that might indicate self-harm of the user. It then can notify local officials to check-in and ensure people can get the right support. That’s when AI shines, not to maximize profits, but to aid humans.