Hello all!
I wanted to take a moment this week to go over a topic that interest me, artificial intelligence. AI has been around for a while now, but recently has taken the stage in people’s sight. I’ve witnessed mixed reactions from individuals on the excitement of society utilizing this technology. Some fear that AI will replace many jobs causing unemployment rates to rise. Others see potential in AI helping with mundane task which will offer more time for meaningful work. A select few have watched I, Robot a little too much and believe Will Smith that AI will turn against humanity. I would like to cover some of the accomplishments that AI has achieved as well as go over some economic data provided by Sowing Hope.
First, some people may not know what artificial intelligence is. The definition pulled from Wiki is that Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines or software, as opposed to the intelligence of humans or animals. It is a field of study in computer science that develops and studies intelligent machines. Such machines may be called AIs. If you have used Siri, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa then you have used AI before. I will now cover some data I have been researching on some milestones that AI has reached.
Language Translation: This is a personal favorite of mine as I have been watching progress on technology that can translate any language as it is being said. Tech such as Waverly Labs Ambassador headphones you can pair with your phone will translate up to 20 languages seamlessly. We are so close to being able to communicate with anyone anywhere without having to learn another language. I do not think this will replace translator jobs for many years, but even then, there will be a need for translators in the world. People need to know the languages in order to be to perfect this technology.
Autonomous Vehicles: When talking about AI and vehicles people’s first thought normally goes to self-driving cars. While that is a feature that is on the rise, AI helps with driver-assistance systems that offers help with safety on the road using sensors. It offers better emergency braking systems and also sensors that send data to major trucking companies. This allows companies to continue to drive safety in the workplace and improve driver quality making our roads safer. There’s been fear that self-driving vehicles will replace truck drivers. In my opinion, I do not see this happening for multiple generations. There are many things such as DOT regulations, bridge-laws, paperwork, and pre-trip/post-trip inspections that requires a professional driver.
Security: Just like sensors used for driving, there are sensors that can help with home security as well. Such programs can record and provide info on any possible threat that may have come up. In severe cases it can even notify the emergency response team immediately. It may save some just a few minutes, but that could be enough to save a life. Not only has AI helped with home security, but it also is making credit card fraud easier to detect.
Healthcare: AI is now being used to diagnose disease just from an seeing an image. As AI continues to improve, we will get faster, more accurate diagnosis. I see this the same as in the security section, the faster you can get a diagnosis to better the chance to save a life. Also, with AI helping to detect fraud it will one day be able to see fraud with prescriptions too which can help with potential shortages for the ones who actually need the medication. There will always be a need for doctors and nurses. AI can’t replace them but can help simplify certain everyday task they have. This will open up more time to focus on patients that need more attention or offer more times of rest. I am sure we can all agree they need more rest.
Art & Writing: There have been some negative opinions on what AI will do to the creative world. Chat GPT allows people to generate articles on topics or just any information they are looking for in seconds. Educational facilities have had to put a stop to students using this to complete writing assignments. There is some software such as Midjourney that uses AI to create art based on text that is inserted. People that have learned out to properly describe what they want can generate images that would take an artist all day to do by hand. I can understand the frustration some may feel when their craft that they have worked hard for can be done in minutes by a computer. I see this as the industry simply evolving, this provides another medium for artist to use and perhaps bring more creativity to their work. There will still be a place for handmade art as part of the process is the emotion of the individual applying that emotion to the canvas. I see AI and art as a gateway for more people to join the art world. While some see this as more competition, I see the opportunity for individuals who have disabilities that prevent them from drawing to enter the art world. Imaging how many people have creative minds but have never had the chance to show it. AI offers everyone a chance if you learn how to utilize it.
There are many other industries that I could cover that AI is improving, but I will leave it with just these topics. To further show that AI is not here to take jobs I will turn to Sowing Hope. It the latest article “Learning Forward” on Sowing Hope the data provided shows unemployment staying around 3.7% and has been for about 2 years now. Remember that in 2020 the unemployment rate was 8.05%. Forbes and TechJury have data showing that the global AI adoption rate is growing steady. Adoption rate grew 31% in 2020, 35% in 2021 and the projected rate is 38% each year until 2030! AI is growing and the unemployment rate has been declining. This gives me hope for the future and what jobs we will be able to create.
Hopefully I have been able to provide insight on some topics you have been curious about with artificial intelligence! I believe we will only continue to see amazing creations arise. This may bring change to certain methods that have been set in stone for years, but change is nothing to fear. Change is what helps us grow. If you found this interesting or helpful, please subscribe so you can stay on top of updates and post on Leader’s Legacy. It’s free! Also SHOUT OUT to Matthew Chisolm who writes for Sowing Hope. He offers tons of useful information that will make you hopeful for the future. If you are someone who is passionate about community, I highly recommend subscribing to Sowing Hope!
“Artificial intelligence is a tool, not a threat.” - Rodney Brooks