It's almost impossible to avoid getting pulled into discussions about artificial intelligence (AI). From controversies around AI-generated art winning competitions to impressive outputs from chatbots or AI art generators dominating the app store, discussions about AI have suddenly become inescapable.
As an engineer, my focus primarily tends to remain fixed on the near-term applications of applied AI. I am more invested in the real-world impact of applied AI that can already be implemented or will be available at scale within the next year or so and its wide-ranging impact on life and business. Given the current uncertain market conditions, I believe we should use applied AI as a competitive advantage. Instead of giving in to fear, we need to look at how applied AI can help us. How can we use this technology to help people do their jobs more effectively and ultimately upskill themselves?
To put it simply, applied AI deals with the applications of AI technology in the real world, where computers and machines use it to perform designated tasks. Applied AI uses machine learning to perform at a much higher capacity and enables software applications with better accuracy and adaptability to solve complex issues.
The significant time and accuracy benefits from improved efficiency and throughput can add to business cost savings. More importantly, it can make for faster and more data-informed decision-making. This can put businesses in a seriously advantageous position, especially if their competitors are yet to take advantage of the technology of a similar caliber.
From the Apple Watch that can call for help when it detects you've been in a car crash (sometimes mistakenly) to software developers queuing up chunks of code-writing in automated systems, the applications of AI surround us in our everyday lives already.
Recently, I was spared from bumping into the vehicle ahead of me as it suddenly pulled to a dead stop while I glanced at the shoreline. If I was not driving my wife's car, which has an AI-enabled emergency braking feature, I could have hurt myself or my wife's car. These safety features can save lives and save money from preventable mistakes that are all too human. AI may be the future, but it's also the present.
Applied AI is improving every day. When we interact with the technology — whether it be chatting with a bot, giving feedback to a program or even using CAPTCHAs — we are helping AI learn and, therefore, helping our future selves. Millions of people are sharing their knowledge daily, which will lead to innovations we cannot yet imagine. The next piece of technology we will use every day is likely being created in part because of the improvements in AI learning that people worldwide are contributing to as they attempt to prove they are indeed human.
When easy-to-use home security cameras became more common, you may have gotten a notification whenever something moved across the street. Now, these systems can identify whether a vehicle, person, or animal triggers the motion sensor — and some may even go as far as identifying whether that animal is your own.
AI can enable us to unlock an unprecedented level of efficiency and productivity. According to a report from Deloitte, 94% of businesses consider AI to be critical to their success over the next five years, and 79% of business leaders have already deployed three or more AI solutions.
Time-consuming tasks such as reading and responding to emails and customer queries can largely be automated with AI chatbots. With a large part of the administrative and routine tasks automated, businesses can expect to make rapid gains in productivity, enhanced bandwidth, and efficiency — even if they choose to stick to just their current workforce.
This can allow companies to survive the acute talent crunch, especially in the technology sector. More importantly, it can enable companies that leverage applied AI to be more competitive compared to companies that rely extensively on outsourced labor — a distinct advantage in uncertain market conditions. It could also help our economy veer away from an increasingly protective stance and remain open to global influences and participation, leading to richer cultural assimilation and output.
Many may feel threatened by the idea of incorporating AI into their lives and jobs. However, if we continue to discuss the uses (some of which people might not be aware of) and educate ourselves, the anxiety around the technology should diffuse. The more we are introduced to applied AI in every facet of our lives, the more we can see how much we've come to rely on it and how beneficial it is to our safety, success, and ease of living.