Just a few short years ago, if someone was asked about how AI (artificial intelligence) was a part of their life, they would have thought they were part of a science-fiction-inspired joke. Now with Alexa, Siri, and other AI making inroads into everyday life, business leaders have begun to realize the benefits of adding artificial intelligence to their workforce.
How is AI Already Used?
It may come as a surprise to some that AI is already around us in many shapes and forms. You may ask Siri to dial a friend’s phone number, or request a song from Alexa, but did you know that AI is used in many other ways as well?
Let’s take your business for instance. You may already be using artificial intelligence and not even be aware of it. Spam filters, voice-to-text features, automated responders and online customer support, sales and business forecasting, and security surveillance all may be using components of AI. Believe it or not, artificial intelligence has already entered fields like healthcare, manufacturing, education, and cybersecurity.
What are the Pros and Cons of AI?
While there is great potential in AI, there are also some warnings, especially when it comes to cybersecurity. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, AI has the potential to deliver around $13 trillion in additional global economic activity by 2030. AI-gathered data will dramatically reduce waste, increase efficiency, deliver higher crop yields and improve the global environment. On a more personal level, AI is going to give physically challenged individuals more access whether they are blind, deaf, or have limited mobility. In general, AI has the power to create millions of jobs.
Unfortunately, dependency on AI can be tragic as well. Take for instance the recent New Zealand mosque attack. The shooter used Facebook to live stream 17 minutes of the horrific attack which left 50 people dead. Facebook acknowledged that its artificial intelligence systems failed to catch the live stream video of the attack. According to CNN online, artificial intelligence systems rely on “training data,” in which Facebook and other companies feed their software examples of content to take down. Facebook uses such systems to help catch and take down content like nudity and terrorism. The AI, in this case, did not recognize terrorism and was only as smart as it had been trained to be.
AI and Cyber Security
AI is like a double-edged sword. While it has amazing potential to help increase business productivity, it also can fail or fall into the wrong hands. AI is currently being used in the area of cybersecurity to do many important tasks. For example, AI can detect and deter security intrusions, protect cloud computing data centers, and identify mutating malware.
AI companies are currently in a race to get the upper hand with AI before hackers do. Hackers could use artificial intelligence tools to scrub social media for personal data or use AI to identify weaknesses in computer security products. The list could go on and on.
AI is becoming a very powerful cybersecurity tool. Keep an eye on this blog and news reports about the evolution of AI technology and how it is being used to protect our data and our networks. Palo Alto Networks is just one top AI company to watch.They are currently working on how artificial intelligence can improve security tools by speeding up incident responses once malicious software is detected on computer networks. Visit us again as we stay on top of developments in the AI field.
Categorised in: Artificial Intelligence, Assistive Tech, Business Management, Computer Support, data management, Digital Age