Nowadays, we’re hearing more and more about artificial intelligence, otherwise known as AI, and how it’s helping to make life, work, and entertainment more efficient and manageable. There’s no doubt that AI has plenty of uses – but there are plenty of reasons to be cautious around the tech, too! Here are some super fun facts about artificial intelligence worth remembering.
1. It is a simulation of human intelligence.
As the name suggests, AI refers to the simulation of intelligence. As you might imagine, it is more specifically an artificial version of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to not only think, but also learn like humans.
2. It can even resemble the human brain.
Multiple AI systems use neural networks. These are inspired by the structure and functioning of the human brain, which processes information and makes decisions.
3. Nowadays, AI uses NLP.
NLP, or Natural Language Processing, enables machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language. This is what makes it possible for chatbots and virtual assistants to interact with users as if they were talking with real people!
4. It’s possible for AI to see, too.
AI is now also used in computer vision to enable machines to understand visual information from the world around us. This helps programmers develop features such as facial recognition and image analysis.
5. AI is widely used in the healthcare system.
AI is now being employed in healthcare. It is used in tasks such as medical image analysis, drug discovery, and even personalized treatment plans. Of course, we’re a way from it being used to treat people on its own, but with human support, it’s helping people get better faster than ever before.
6. The financial world is opening its eyes to AI.
In the finance world, AI is used for fraud detection, algorithmic trading, and customer service through chatbots. With regard to trading, it’s particularly useful for finding investment opportunities that might otherwise be clouded by human error or emotion.
7. You might be riding at the back of an AI-led driverless car soon!
Driverless vehicle production is already well underway across the globe, and AI plays a crucial role in that development. AI will help vehicles to perceive their environment, make decisions, and navigate without human intervention. Again, we’re not quite there yet, but we’re not far off! In China, the implementation of driverless taxis have started but the cost to expand remains a challenge.
8. It’s being used more and more creatively
As you will likely see online, AI is increasingly being used in creative fields. It is being used in art and music to generate new and innovative content and even to modify existing work. AI such as DALL-E is creating stunning artwork from scratch, and many people use GPT-4 to help generate content. But, there’s much discussion over whether or not using AI this way is ethical.
9. Not everyone’s aware that they’re using AI.
Weirdly, around 34% of people actually realise they’re using AI at all. It’s become so ubiquitous and seamless in our lives that 84% of us actually do use it, whether we know about it or not.
10. AI assistants will soon outnumber people.
By mid-decade, we’ll be using more than 8.4 billion AI voice-powered assistants the world over. It’s at that point there will officially be more bots than there are humans!
FAQs about Artificial Intelligence
How is AI used today?
As mentioned above, AI is commonly used in healthcare, finance, and in everyday life. And it is set to be used in even more ways in the coming years.
Is Alexa an AI?
Yes, Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are all AI. They are used as conversational AI bots.
Is AI good or bad?
Although AI is currently being heavily criticized on ethical grounds, its benefits to society and growth are hard to deny! Of course, AI can also be somewhat dangerous depending on how it is used, which is why it is the subject of such debate.
Further reading
https://www.sas.com/en_gb/insights/analytics/what-is-artificial-intelligence.html
https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence
Do you know any interesting facts about artificial intelligence? Share them in the comments section below!
