Table of Contents
The workforce of the future is going to be increasingly automated. And this means that our jobs are in jeopardy. It’s predicted that by 2030, AI will be able to read your thoughts so you’ll never have to type anything again, but what other implications might this new tech have?
We’re already seeing the effects in some sectors: self-driving cars and trucks; robotic factory workers; algorithms making medical diagnoses; virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa. But there has been little public discussion about how we should prepare for a world with less human labor—and how we can ensure those who do retain employment enjoy better working conditions as a result. What does it mean for society if most people aren’t employed? And what does it mean for individuals who are forced to take jobs that make us less happy?
The question of whether machines will replace human workers, or merely aid them in their work, has been around for centuries. Yet the standard economic assumption is still that technology creates more jobs than it destroys—and AI has certainly captured our imagination as its capabilities grow.
1. What is Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence, also known as AI, is the intelligence demonstrated by machines or software. Put simply, it’s when a machine imitates cognitive functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as “learning” and “problem-solving.”
There are three core technologies at the heart of current AI development:
The first is natural language processing (NLPR), which has given rise to things like automatic speech recognition and predictive text.
Machine learning (ML) is the second – area that’s responsible for self-driving cars and machines that can beat humans at strategy games like chess.
Lastly, there is deep learning (DL), which takes ML a step further by training artificial neural networks on vast quantities of data to create.
2. The history of AI
The history of artificial intelligence is a long one, dating back to the 1600s. In 1637, Descartes suggested that all functions associated with the human mind could be replicated in machines. This idea led to a history of unsuccessful attempts at building autonomous mechanical devices.
In 1943, an MIT professor and engineer named Vannevar Bush wrote an article called “As We, May Think”. In it, he proposed the idea for a machine that would use microfilm and a cathode ray tube to store bits of information or “memexes” that people could access by using a keyboard and other aids such as buttons, diodes, and stroboscopic lights. It’s widely regarded as the first conceptual design of a digital library.
Conclusion
AI is a complicated issue with many implications, some of which we can’t even imagine. However, there are plenty of strategies to consider when it comes to the future of AI and how companies will be able to use this technology effectively in their marketing campaigns. In order for any business or entrepreneur to successfully leverage the power of AI, they’ll need an understanding of not only of what artificial intelligence is but also its history so that they know where it’s been and where it’s going. Our last article was just on Artificial Intelligence basics- if you missed out make sure you read up before continuing!
