What comes to your mind when you hear the word Artificial Intelligence (AI)? I guess you have conjured up images of robots in movies like Star Trek. You may struggle to understand how you use AI daily since what we have come to associate AI with is robots taking over human roles.
The influence AI has on our day to day lives are far-reaching and underrated compared to what is suggested to us through science fiction. Your day is like an action movie in which you utilize technology in all activities, from shopping, traveling, diarizing, and even relaxing.
Think of how many times you have seen friends’ suggestions on Facebook, or music and movies’ tips on platforms like Spotify or YouTube. All these platforms use AI, which helps in collecting information on what you like to watch or listen to, making your life even better.
In the above examples, AI has algorithms that use collected data on what you like watching, your previous purchases, etc. to suggest what might interest you.
What Is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Intelligence is innate to human beings; it allows us to observe and interpret things naturally. Humans don’t normally struggle to understand what needs to get done or how to do it. Before we act on something, we first evaluate the available options and choose the best course of action. The above is what we call Natural Intelligence.
On the other hand, Artificial intelligence (AI) is primarily concerned with making intelligent machines work or react similarly to humans.
AI is all about creating systems that can identify their surroundings, learn from them, and respond accordingly.
AI-based applications are supposed to sense, reason, act, adapt and discover just as the normal humans would. This technology is categorized into three areas, including narrow, general, and super artificial intelligence.
Artificial Narrow Intelligence (Weak AI)
Weak AI is already in full use in today’s day to day activities. The system utilizes data and algorithms that are extremely crucial in your daily life. Simulation of games, organization of social media pages are examples of weak AI, which you interact with on day to day basis.
Artificial General Intelligence
General intelligence is not with us currently as it would involve having applications that can perform the same way a human does. Although it’s a futuristic dream, general AI would learn and upgrade itself through trial and error.
Super Artificial Intelligence
Super AI is a possibility that may or may not happen. Super AI will occur when AI updates itself massively; it will even surpass the knowledge imparted by the creator. Super AI is what we often see from our favorite fiction films.
In What Ways Is AI Essential To Humans?
There is no denying the impact of technology on human existence; it goes a long way in making our lives enjoyable and manageable. Imagine how your life would look like were you to be denied access to your smartphone, even for a day. I bet it would be hell, right? You are not alone as without technology all the small things we do like chatting with our friends on Facebook or getting an Uber would be a nightmare.
Below are some of the things that significantly rely on AI:
a) Gmail Email Filters
Gmail uses artificial intelligence to filter the mail sent to your email address. The emails get organized as primary, social, promotions, updates, Forums, and spam.
The organizers sort you out by ensuring that all emails get directed to different categories depending on their specifications. As a result, you get an easy time accessing, reading, and ultimately responding to your emails.
Gmail also offers you smart replies, whereby you can respond to your emails with quick responses. These are tailor-made to the content of different emails. Smart replies examples include, “Thanks,” “I’m in!” etc.
Gmail has the “nudging” function that reminds you to check emails you have ignored or forgotten. This will occur after a few days of not attending to such emails. Nudges are bold and are brightly colored to catch your attention quickly.
b) AI and Social Media
AI enables you to locate people speedily and communicate with them online. Whether it’s for social or business purposes, AI serves to facilitate the operation of following social media platforms a huge deal.
LinkedIn denotes a social media platform that links employees with potential employers. It uses a highly intelligent algorithm that can predict the behavior of potential employees to the extent that a prospective employer can accurately determine who deserves hiring.
Pinterest utilizes an AI tool called LENS, which is used to identify objects in pictures. Should you decide to take a picture of something, the LENS tool helps you get images of related objects. If it’s online, you can even get the name of the seller and their contacts.
Chatbots
The AI in Chatbot will often come in handy for people who are searching for similar content online. It especially facilitates answering questions to get accurate answers. Sometimes, the answers are so precise that you might mistake the tool for a real person.
Proactive Detection on Facebook
Facebook has incorporated an AI tool that tracks your post and analyzes them to determine whether you intend to harm yourself. This device has successfully averted suicide on some users, whereby such suicidal people have been assigned counselors.
c) AI and Web Search
AI is instrumental in assisting you to do searches on Google by making recommendations for you. In essence, it allows you to choose from the suggestions regarding what you want to search for.
d) AI and Online Shopping
AI is making it easy for customers to achieve their goals when shopping online. Many online retailers gather information on a customer’s shopping habits and recommend to them the products they should try. Online consumers may also get tailor-made products from those suggestions.
e) AI and Entertainment
If you are one of those people who like listening to music, Spotify offers tips on discoveries, new releases, or even some of your favorite old schools. The apps get information from your previous listening habits, which is where AI comes in handy.
Netflix is another platform that offers you suggestions on similar TV Shows or movies to which you’re accustomed to watching. The tool makes your life easier by allowing you to spend little time searching online for related content to your preference.
f) AI and Banking Service
Over the years, banks have perfected the art of offering their customers personalized banking services. Many mobile banking platforms in the market get set up in a way that allows clients to receive critical alerts. These alerts could be in the form of messages or emails concerning bill payments, overdrafts, and money transfers. They may also relate to:
Fraud Prevention
Customers often receive alerts regarding dealings that appear fraudulent, including larger than ordinary transactions from the account and suspicious card usage in a foreign country or state. Such signals have been instrumental in curbing potential fraud and protecting the clients’ hard-earned money.
Credit Decisions
Banks have your financial data at their disposal. They often utilize this information to determine the amount of loan to advance you. Essentially, they utilize AI to deduce your loan repayment ability.
g) AI and Maps and Directions
Apps like Google maps make it easy for you to navigate an area you don’t know well by giving you the shortest routes. Calculating the shortest paths put into consideration road repairs activities and traffic.
Other apps like the ones concerned with ride-sharing help you save money from carpooling. Clients headed on the same direction can order a shared ride and split the cost.
The availability of such apps has simplified everything, making it possible for you to even order food or drinks from the comfort of your home.
h) AI and Car Manufacturers
Tesla has been ahead of the pack by introducing intelligent vehicles. The vehicles use AI for navigation, which is extremely convenient for the user, especially when they are too tired to drive. It also gives drivers the option of driving themselves around whenever they desire.
i) AI and Flight Navigation
It will surprise you to discover just how little actual flying pilots do today. They significantly rely on AI to navigate the skies. In fact, Boeing is working on a plane that will be piloted by AI only without any human intervention.
What Does The Future Hold For AI?
AI has contributed enormously to making the lives of humans better. However, the sky is the limit, and we expect to see a lot more from AI in the future. You should expect advancement in the following areas:
Healthcare
Future advancement in health-related apps will be crucial in helping doctors to offer improved healthcare services to their patients. The breakthrough will be significant, especially in the developing countries where the ratios of doctors to patients are very low.
Education
In the future, we should expect AI to play a crucial role in the day to day running of academic intuitions by assisting all the stakeholders. AI could be employed to facilitate admissions, grading, or tutoring. All of the above will not only make the learning experience easy but also enjoyable.
The Bottom Line
From the precedence, it’s quite clear that the majority of advancements in technology have AI to thank. Almost all aspects of human life rely on AI to execute day to day processes. It, therefore, follows that everybody needs to embrace AI as any future advancement in virtually all fields will depend on it.