AI is present in our everyday activities. Whether we search the internet, watch YouTube videos or Netflix films, shop online or post on social media, AI operates behind those activities.
What Is AI?
AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It is technology programmed to imitate human thinking. Just as human intelligence enables thought and analysis, AI gives machines analytical capabilities.
AI records and analyses people’s online activities to make future tasks easier. For example, Netflix highlights comedies for someone who frequently watches them. On social media, advertisements and posts related to frequently viewed topics appear on a person’s feed. AI produces results based on individual behaviour.
How Does AI Work?
Put simply, AI works from experience. The more experience it has, the better it becomes. It learns from that experience to determine what is right or wrong and what might happen. People supply the experience, data and algorithms used for those decisions. This is called training. Training with more data can make the system more intelligent.
That is why AI has succeeded on social networks, where large amounts of input data support activities such as targeted advertising. Companies with extensive data, including Google, Meta and Amazon, will therefore continue to play important roles.
Where Is AI Used?
AI concepts were explored around 1948. The term was first used in 1956, although broad awareness grew only in the early 2000s. AI has now become indispensable in technology. We encounter the following applications daily.
Face Recognition or Face Detection
Unlocking an iPhone with Face ID or authorising an App Store download are familiar examples. A camera captures the user’s face and a machine-learning algorithm compares its features with previously stored, trained facial data to determine whether they match.
Voice Recognition
Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri and Samsung Bixby are AI voice assistants. They are trained in advance with data on how to respond to speech and operate according to that training.
Social and Streaming Media
Instagram, Twitter and Facebook illustrate AI’s usefulness. They decide what to show in our feeds based on what we search, read, follow, tweet and react to, presenting and advertising things that may interest us.
Netflix and YouTube also use AI. Algorithms analyse viewing and search patterns to predict and recommend programmes and films that may appeal to users.
Chatbots
Natural language processing enables interaction between people and computers. It is increasingly used to answer customers’ frequently asked questions quickly. When customers send questions by message, AI responds instead of a sales employee. Businesses use it for faster responses, customer satisfaction, engagement and round-the-clock service. Chat interfaces are widely used on websites and applications as well as social media.
AI’s Next Steps
Rapid AI development has made driverless cars a reality. Asking voice assistants to make calls or reservations is no longer extraordinary. Robots are replacing people in many roles, and impressive paintings can be created with AI assistance.
Many further advances lie ahead. The article cites a projection that the AI market would reach about USD 190 billion in 2025 and that a large proportion of applications would use AI. Its role is expected to expand beyond finance, healthcare, services and manufacturing into policy and climate change.
This rapid expansion also raises concerns that people may become less important and unemployment may increase.
The world has experienced dramatic technological changes before, accompanied by similar fears. AI is itself a human creation. By applying its advances to help solve human difficulties, we can work towards a better future.
