AI is Taking Over in the Most Unexpected Way
As technology continues to extend further into our everyday lives, we thought it relevant to address what appears to be the next wave of advancement. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a buzzword for some time now and it already affects both your personal and professional life. From shopping cart recommendations on Amazon to email spam filters, your life is entrenched by this phenomenon and you probably didn’t even know it.
First of all, what is AI?
The concept of self-aware computers was first proposed in 1955 by John McCarthy… but what does it mean? Well, first, there are a few different categories of artificial intelligence, ANI, AGI, and ASI.
- ANI is artificial narrow intelligence, and this is what powers the computer intelligence we already mentioned, specific to a defined set of data.
- AGI, artificial general intelligence, is where the future of intelligence is headed, meaning the potential for computer intelligence to critically think and make judgment calls. We’re far from this sort of intelligence, but some speculate it’s closer than we think.
- Lastly, there’s the AI of the future, artificial super intelligence (ASI), which is intelligence that extends beyond our human understanding, and eventually, conquers the world. Just kidding… maybe.
AI is a big deal, so much so that Mark van Rijmenam reports, “In a 2013 study by Oxford University it was estimated that Artificial Intelligence could take over nearly half of all jobs in the United States in the near future.”
So, why does it matter to me?
What we want to bring to the table today is that as business owners and operators, it is your job to stay ahead of the curve and to be in the know about the coming technological advances that have the power to change the way you do business. Computers have changed all of our lives forever, and it seems that AI is positioned to do the same.
AI in 2017
The form of AI that is growing most rapidly in 2017 has recently been personified through voice assistants Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and the likes of Google. No transition, least of all technology transition, comes easy to the public. While the touchscreen was a monumental breakthrough earlier in this generation, it was hard for us to grasp at the time. We were so used to the keyboard as our navigator that it took time before swiping and tapping became natural. Similarly, the advancements that have been made with voice technology have slowly crept upon us. But we’re again tempted to stick with what we know, the touchscreen. Here’s what a few industry experts have to say about the future of AI:
“The touchscreen isn’t going anywhere. But increasingly we’re going to live in a world that’s defined by cameras and screens, microphones and speakers — all powered by cloud services, that are with us everywhere we go, interpreting all our intents, be it spoken, gestured, or input via a touchscreen keypad.”
– Nicole Nguyen, Product and Personal Technology Journalist, Buzzfeed
“A lot of personal technology today involves friction… We envision a future where that friction goes away, the technology disappears into the background, and customers can be more present in their daily lives.”
– Toni Reid Thomelin, VP of Alexa experience and Echo devices
“It’s hard to overstate how big of an impact it’s going to have on society over the next 20 years.”
Our prediction is that AI will continue to shape and change the state of the business and retail spheres. Finding ways to integrate these new helpful tools into your personal and professional lives intentionally. There are several email/scheduling assistants such as Julie’s Desk, website chat providers such as Cleverbot, and more that can smooth out the fine details of your customer service and marketing processes. Why not give it a try?
