Artificial Intelligence, as the name suggests, is the technology of designing and developing machines that can think, learn, and make decisions on their own based on their pool of knowledge and experience. John McCarthy, the father of AI, an American computer scientist says, "It is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. It is related to the similar task of using computers to understand human intelligence, but AI does not have to confine itself to methods that are biologically observable."
AI technology revolves around the innovation of devices and software that enable automation and makes human lives more manageable. A self-driving and self-parking technology installed in the car or home management technologies can moderate the temperature inside your house or office; all and more such examples are powered with AI. As is the case with every new technological innovation, AI technology remains vastly untapped, thereby raising a substantial degree of intrigue and concern. The technology has applications in environmental solutions, healthcare, customer support, vehicle software, stock trading, and speech recognition-enabled devices such as Amazon's Alexa, to name a few.
In support of AI as a concept, Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, said that "AI can be our friend.” And he has substantiated this view with "AI is just the latest in technologies that allow us to produce a lot more goods and services with less labor. And overwhelmingly, over the last several hundred years, that has been great for society". Such global challenges can be dealt with better by using AI and its benefits at an individual, organizational, government, or country level. So, what are some of the ways AI impacts the world?
AI for Earth
AI technology has immense scope in developing systems that can help us solve environmental challenges of diverse scales. Some leading global companies have already taken initiatives to design eco-friendly machines and software using AI technology. For instance, Microsoft's Planetary Computer applies AI technology to a worldwide catalog of environment data to ascertain the answers to essential questions about the environment. The company aims to build a global network to address environmental issues by providing the resultant information to environment conservationists. In a similar vein, the company has initiated AI for Earth grants to help organizations across the world develop pro-earth technologies.
AI for Health
AI technology is breaking through barriers of human limitations and helping enhance patient care and the efficiency of healthcare professionals. Freenome, for instance, utilizes AI technology in blood tests and diagnostics to detect cancer at an early stage. The aim is to identify cancer at the earliest stages and develop new lines of treatment. Another such organization is Twin Health, which is applying AI technology in healthcare to help prevent and resolve healthcare and lifestyle ailments such as Type 2 Diabetes. The combined application of Artificial Intelligence Technology, the Internet of Things, and medical science holds the potential to alter the healthcare landscape.
AI for Accessibility
From education to employment, community-based programs to home development technologies, AI can transform the way we lead our lives. For instance, Microsoft has developed several tools to make education more accessible to people. With the innovation of reading material, interactive teaching, learning modules, and assistive technology for people with disabilities, Microsoft is helping bring parity for everyone in the field of education.
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning – An unbreakable bond!
Machine learning is at the very heart of artificial intelligence technology. The concept of machine learning revolves around the notion that machines can be made to learn from data, inputs, and experiences to identify and remember patterns and use them for future decision-making without any significant intervention from humans. The applications of machine learning are seemingly limitless and span across sectors.
Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that takes the concept even deeper and reduces the human effort required for the process. At the core of deep learning is a multilayer neural network that enables machines to process many complex datasets, establish patterns, and use them to generate outputs. The neural network in deep learning comprises the following layers:
The input layers
The processing layers (the number of these layers can vary)
The output layers
Deep learning is an important technology to enhance the application, scalability, and feasibility of machine learning and AI technology. Just as artificial intelligence and machine learning are closely intertwined, deep learning has immense potential to make the application of artificial intelligence technology more cost-effective. Deep learning technology does not necessarily need labeled datasets or structured inputs to operate; it can process raw and unstructured sets of data, organize, and bifurcate them as required, and generate the desired output with minimal human intervention.
Artificial Intelligence Software Market in Numbers
The scope of AI technology is nothing short of monumental at this point, and the global software revenues from the technology are a testament to that. The global market revenue from applying AI technology software has increased more than threefold from 2018 to 2021, and this exponential growth is expected to continue till 2025 and beyond. The following table sheds light on the revenues generated from Artificial Intelligence software worldwide from 2018 to 2021, along with the projected revenues for the succeeding four years.
Source: sas.com
We can expect 2022 to be a year in which AI will mature from experimental to essential. The focus would shift towards AI-enabled transformation to solve more significant business problems with business-focused solutions. In the next blog of the artificial intelligence series, we will bring you information about the history of AI and how does it work, stay tuned for more!
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