Is Artificial Intelligence Acting as a Foe or an Ally?

Before we dive into topic of “Is AI a friend or enemy”, lest define “what is AI”? Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of computer systems to perform tasks which normally require human intelligence. It is a very broad field that encompasses theories and developments in computer science, cognitive science, mathematics, philosophy, neuroscience, linguistics and more.

AI is going to influence each any every field now or later. I being in IT field was skeptical about AI and felt it is a hoax without knowing how it can help or hurt (friend or enemy). That is the nature of humans; not knowing the details, we may reach conclusions. As I undergo multiple trainings now, I tend to realize that AI is for real despite its having the artificial world in its name. At all levels in the IT field have the feeling that AI will take away my job, but there is a famous quote that helps to drive the point home for such anxieties: “AI will not replace you, but one who knows AI will replace you”. In essence, we need to embrace AI and make friends who will always be there to guide and expedite the work. This is just an IT flavor, but when I say AI- Friend or Enemy, we are talking about people in general at all age groups.

As we already called out AI as our friend, let us understand how.

If you want to go somewhere and you need a ride so you call your friend but what if your friend is away? How about a friend who is always there next you whenever you want to go somewhere… yes, I am talking about Taxi booking apps, e.g. Ola, Uber etc.

Many times you call your friends to know about various things and information you need… no need to pick up the phone and many times you may here a busy tone or out of reach but this friend of yours is well withing your reach all the time and just one voice command away to fetch you the desired information yes I am talking about voice assistants e.g. Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant Apple’s Siri etc.

We've all interacted with numerous chatbots online. What might surprise you is that many of these bots, if not all, are practical examples of AI in action. These bots have evolved beyond simple rule-based systems to sophisticated conversational agents, and a noteworthy example is ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI. This ChatGPT has become the favorite friend of all from students to professionals to retirees.

When it comes to entertainment, who could be a better friend than AI, who knows you and your preferences well? This friend of yours is with you 24/7 and knows which part of the day and what form of entertainment programs you like to watch, and the same list is being presented to you… yes, I am talking about the streaming apps NETFLIX, Amazon Prime, YouTube, etc.

Brands use AI-driven personalization solutions based on customer data to drive more engagement. A report compiled by OneSpot Research revealed that 88% of the surveyed consumers stated that more personalized content makes them feel better about a brand. Again, it is like a friend who helps you select what you may like, and that is being presented to you by AI marketing apps.

When we type emails or WhatsApp messages how much we thank our friend who continues to dictate us as if reading our mind what we think of typing the next word. Yes, I am talking about smart input keyboards. The latest versions of mobile keyboard apps combine the provisions of autocorrection and language detection to provide a user-friendly experience. With the help of AI, these apps can efficiently correct mistakes, help switch between languages, and predict the next word in a non-intrusive.

Because of AI we have more and more advanced mechanisms of GPS that helps us in all kinds of map requirements, be it network grid, or as intense situations as storms to restore power and many other applications. This reminds me of that famous proverb “friend in need is friend indeed”.

AI Gamified applications are now being designed to gauge the gamer's mental fortitude in the face of certain defeat. This is helping to study methods to mitigate depression and anxiety in gamers and people in general.

Wearable devices like the Apple Watch equipped with accelerometers and gyroscope sensors use AI algorithms to analyze movement patterns. In the event of a fall, the system can automatically detect it and trigger alerts or emergency responses. Nowadays, all car makers are advertising one of the important safety features, and that is the Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). ADASs utilize sensors and cameras to monitor the vehicle's surroundings.

AI frees up human surveillants to focus on the verification of crucial incidents and act upon them. The constant monitoring and detection part of surveillance is taken up by AI video monitoring software. AI can pick up irregular behavior that might sometimes be missed by human eyes. Our friend is always on guard to protect us through security and surveillance.

The management of email communication has become easy and streamlined with the integration of artificial intelligence. AI-driven email filtering systems actively identify and filter out spam, maintaining the integrity of users' inboxes. Moreover, these systems contribute to a more organized inbox by categorizing emails into relevant folders, improving accessibility. In the process of email composition, AI's predictive typing and autocorrect features enhance the overall efficiency and accuracy of communication, ensuring polished and professional correspondence

The accuracy of weather prediction owes much to artificial intelligence. Meteorological models powered by AI analyze vast amounts of historical and real-time weather data, including temperature, humidity, wind patterns, and atmospheric pressure. These models can predict weather conditions more accurately and offer more precise forecasts. This way, our friend helps us to plan our days and weeks if not months.

The confluence of AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) opens a plethora of opportunities to develop smarter home appliances that require minimal human interference to operate. While IoT deals with devices interacting with the internet, the AI part helps these devices to learn from data.

There are so many AI health apps helping us maintain our health parameters and give us early indications for proactive measures. While we discussed at length about how AI is our friend, let us discuss how AI can pose some threats and risks…

AI and deep learning models can be difficult to understand, even for those who work directly with the technology. This leads to a lack of transparency for how and why AI comes to its conclusions, creating a lack of explanation for what data AI algorithms use or why they may make biased or unsafe decisions.

It estimates that by 2025, “85 million jobs may be displaced by a shift in the division of labor between humans and machines, while 97 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to the new division of labor between humans, machines, and algorithms. This will require reskilling and adapting the mindset.

Social manipulation also stands as a danger of artificial intelligence. This fear has become a reality as politicians rely on platforms to promote their viewpoints, with one example being Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., wielding a TikTok troll army to capture the votes of younger Filipinos during the Philippines’ 2022 election.

As is too often the case, technological advancements have been harnessed for warfare. When it comes to AI, some are keen to do something about it before it’s too late: In a 2016 open letter, over 30,000 individuals, including AI and robotics researchers, pushed back against the investment in AI-fueled autonomous weapons.

As AI technology has become more accessible, the number of people using it for criminal activity has risen. Online predators can now generate images of children, making it difficult for law enforcement to determine actual cases of child abuse. And even in cases where children are not physically harmed, the use of children’s faces in AI-generated images present new challenges for protecting children’s online privacy and Digital safety and Voice cloning have become an issue, with criminals leveraging AI- AI-generated voices to impersonate other people and commit phone scams. These examples merely scratch the surface of AI’s capabilities, so it will only become harder for local and national government agencies to adjust and keep the public informed of the latest AI-driven threats.

Conclusion:

We need to use AI ethically and responsibly and be vigilant for the threats and risks that AI poses. Most importantly, we need to embrace AI as a friend with an awareness of the risks we discussed earlier. AI is our new normal, so let us embrace it and make our lives more efficient and meaningful. Hope this article will help you define the context and first baby steps for business transformation.