Artificial Intelligence (AI)
1. Artificial Intelligence – What is it?
Artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer or computer-controlled robot to perform various activities in a similar way to intelligent creatures. Therefore, in contrast to natural intelligence, the term Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used. Artificial intelligence thus stands for machine intelligence, which uses data-derived information to solve complex tasks, advance research, and better predict events and human behavior. As a result, more and more intelligent machines are being created that can work and react like humans – a breakthrough technology that will massively change our world in combination with other technologies within a few years.
2. Artificial Intelligence – How does it work?
Sounds spooky, doesn’t it? But it is not – if you understand how it works, it becomes clearer what’s behind it:
To recognize patterns in complex data, to benefit from previous experiences, and to make similar decisions as man-made, artificial intelligence programs require human knowledge.
This knowledge is provided to the machines in the form of data. With this knowledge as a basis and various predefined parameters, artificial intelligence systems are finally able to observe something, to recognize things and patterns, and to respond to them and thereby solve problems.
As you can see the principle behind the artificial intelligence system is quite simple, but of course we need all those IT-Experts who are able to program these parameters. Then these systems must be tested and optimized until they are finally operational in the market.
3. Artificial Intelligence – What does it mean? (Consequences)
The experience shows that most people who do not focus more intensively on this technology are subject to a misjudgment: They usually believe that this development is still in its infancy and it will take years for the results to change our world. But research in this area has been going on for over 50 years. The fact that the media have been reporting more about it only in the last few years and that readers’ focus is increasingly changing these days does not mean that we are just at the beginning. Quite the contrary: artificial intelligence is already being used in many areas today, mostly without consumers being aware of it. Due to further advanced technologies, the area is developing rapidly. It is all the more important that entrepreneurs deal with it intensively. After all, those who do not do that will be overtaken by competitors in the market in a few years, and most of them are not the ones we already perceive as competitors today, but start-ups who recognize the opportunities and emerge from nowhere. If we take a closer look and think about it, we will realize that the danger is not that AI will replace us, but rather the people who discover and use it for themselves.
4. Artificial Intelligence – Application areas of Artificial Intelligence today
4.1 Automotive Industry
Until the autonomous driving is fully allowed, artificial intelligence is used today, e. g. to collect and exchange road information. Therefore manufacturers such as Tesla implement numerous cameras around the car to collect and exchange road information. The cars are able to share that knowledge with other vehicles, so that soon your car will know about all the different routes, also in other countries, even before you have actually been there.
Also, Tesla’s vehicle today is capable of accurately calculating when you need to charge your car and which supercharger to use on the way of your route that you entered in the navigation system. Based on all the information that is available to your car, it recommends you when you should go where and take a break for loading. An incredibly advanced system that lets you sit back and relax – the intelligent system not only saves you time and nerves, but is also precise and damn fast in its calculations. Incredible!
4.2 Medicine
Artificial intelligence is already being used in many clinics for the diagnosis of diseases. For example, body fluids such as blood and urine are being investigated on the basis of semi-automatic laboratory streets. It is no longer the individual who does each step by hand. Similar to this example, artificial intelligence is used in many places in medicine – today usually still supportive. In the future, the tasks will increasingly be taken over by intelligent systems and even more precisely performed.
What this technology is capable of is proved by the following case: Xiaoyi, a Chinese robot, with AI passed the national medical exam in China in 2017, after scientists trained him with content from medical books, records, reports and texts.
4.3 Communications
In the area of communication virtual assistants and chatbots, which are text-based dialog systems, are already being used today manifold. Here are some examples:
- In the field of customer service they are used to answer customer inquiries, e. g. to answer frequently asked Questions.
- In the field of news, individual offers ensure that the user only receives information that is relevant to him. That for the bot identifies wanted and desired information and makes it available when the user actually has time and interest to read.
- For more Engagement, Branding und Clicks they are used to interact with users.
- They not only advise on products, but also directly support the purchase up to the interactive payment. For missing information they ask questions until all information necessary for a purchase is collected. In this case a chatbot takes the role of an assistant and leads the customer until the successful purchase.
4.4 Journalism
Data journalism has become indispensable in storytelling. Various vendors have already programmed AI software, which allows to turn dry data and statistics such as sports results and weather forecasts into readable articles.
But such tools are not just used in the field of journalism. For example, Microsoft uses AI technologies to automatically create graphics and text. And fund companies use such tools to inform their clients about investment strategies and stock market developments.
5. Artificial Intelligence – Application areas of Artificial Intelligence tomorrow
5.1 Automotive Industry
Precisely because relatively few cars still drive autonomously today, the impression quickly arises that artificial intelligence is not yet developed far enough or really in use. But this appearance is deceptive. The fact that autonomous driving is not yet fully used in many countries today is in many places more of a legal framework than what intelligent systems are already capable of today. Accordingly, it is hardly surprising that forward-looking manufacturers, especially of electric cars, are already installing the technologies in their cars today. For example, Tesla offers an update in its service portfolio that the car owner can purchase and install even after the car has been purchased so that autonomous driving is possible after the legal framework allows it. Or in other words: Imagine, basically, we’re just an update away from autonomous driving.
In the first step it will be possible for us to sit at the steering wheel while the car is driving independently. In the second step, so much data and information will be gathered that the car will be fully able to drive itself. So it is absolutely not out of the question that the cars of the future will pick you up in one place and drive you to the desired location to drop you off there again. Sounds incredible and far away – but up to this development, there are basically only a few steps left.
5.2 Medicine
Doctors, hospitals and health insurance companies have huge patient data. The very first pilots show that merging this data will enable intelligent systems to diagnose faster and more accurate patient diseases in the future.
But that’s not all: the diagnoses are more reliable, and in many cases, the intelligent systems are even better than doctors in identifying diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and schizophrenia early.
This circumstance is due to three aspects:
- On the one hand, intelligent systems get provided with knowledge as a basis.
- On the other hand, they are self-learning systems that can duplicate their origin knowledge in the shortest possible time.
- And last but not least they can share knowledge and experiences with other intelligent systems.
The transfer of this kind of knowledge from human to human normally takes years so it’s clear why these machines are better than humans: They are quick learners and thus they are able to arrive to better results and recommendations.
5.3 Legal Area
Another example of the future use of AI-Systems concerns the legal area:
With intelligent systems, it will be possible to set up new contracts without legal advice. As a basis for this, all existing contracts will be collected, structured and made available to the intelligent system as basic knowledge. Through AI, the system is not only able to use and combine this knowledge, but also to make new connections while learning from its mistakes. The first AI systems in this field are already in use and will soon enable what entrepreneurs today have to spend a lot of money for.
5.4 Advanced Smart Home Systems
The smart home system is already being used more and more today. But today many functionalities have to be controlled by the user via a corresponding app.
In the future, the system itself will be able to alert the fire department in case of a fire, re-order and pay the coffee before there is no one left and open the door to the apartment if you or a family member is standing in front of it. In a storm, it will be able to judge for itself whether it is necessary to close the windows or not. According to your mood, it will make concrete music suggestions and cook your favorite food.
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