Artificial Intelligence: How It's Affecting Our World and Our Future

By Divya Mahajan ‘24

Source for photo above: freepik

Artificial Intelligence, often abbreviated as AI, is a rapidly evolving field of technology that focuses on creating computer systems that are capable of performing tasks that would normally require human intelligence. Artificial Intelligence has started to spread to businesses worldwide. Artificial Intelligence has the ability to do what humans can do, only faster and more efficiently. It can recognize patterns and make decisions based on data found and created by humans. AI is an interdisciplinary field that combines elements of computer science, mathematics, and cognitive psychology.

Creating machines that are capable of analyzing, deciding, and learning like humans is one of the main objectives of AI. AI systems are able to process and evaluate data and make predictions or choices in real time by utilizing a variety of techniques. AI has already made significant contributions across various industries, including healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and transportation. From detecting diseases at an early stage to optimizing supply chains, AI-powered technologies are driving innovation and efficiency.

However, as AI continues to advance, concerns about its ethical implications and potential impact on the job market remain. It is crucial to strike a balance between embracing the potential of artificial intelligence while ensuring that it is developed responsibly and ethically.

As of today, AI is a major part of creating the structure of modern vehicles including self-driving vehicles. In order for the vehicles to analyze their environment, they gather and process data from a variety of sensors, including cameras, lidar, radar, and GPS. Then, this data is loaded into machine learning algorithms, which identify relevant trends, forecast the future, and execute sensible driving. This is not only with self-driving cars, but now some newer model cars can be controlled from just your phone. 

There are many pros and cons to AI: Although it enhances the speed in which certain tasks can be done, it may not always be completely accurate. Al is extremely useful for business: it is faster and saves time, but AI also avoids the flaws of the human condition (i.e it doesn't need bathroom breaks). Some critics are worried that AI is replacing a lot of other human jobs; however, its ability to replace tedious tasks allows the human workforce to stay focused on other crucial problems. Some popular companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft use AI immensely on a daily basis. 

Other critics claim that AI distorts reality, making it difficult for society to tell between what's real and what's not. For example, there could be spam calls where your friend’s or family member’s voice is asking for money, and you believe it is actually them. Similarly, celebrities' voices can be altered to say things that they never actually said, or songs can be written and "performed" by AI versions of a popular singer. This could be detrimental to an artist's privacy because their voice is being used without their permission and fraudulently. 

Some people don't believe that AI will take over because the human experience has unique cognitive processes, including value judgments. Overall, Artificial Intelligence holds immense promises for the future. It all depends on how AI is used, whether it will be good or bad for society. As its capabilities continue to expand, it is essential to explore and harness this technology to benefit society as a whole.