Each era in human history is defined by key inventions which have advanced our knowledge and capabilities as a global community – the children of our generation learn about the advances of the Iron Age, Industrial Revolution and Space Age, and their descendants will no doubt look back at the current time as the ‘Digital Age’. We are living through an era where there have been seismic advances in technology, and AI is undoubtedly one of the most prominent, if not the defining feature of the 21st century.
Amidst a background of intense scrutiny, there are those who are beginning to view the rise of AI as a bubble – and those same people predict that one day, the bubble will burst and the fortunes of those currently at the forefront of tech advances will be quickly reversed. Yet, to view AI as simply the latest ‘trend’ or ‘hype’ overlooks the plethora of ways in which these burgeoning tools have the capacity to fundamentally change the world we live in for the better.
There are certain trends that fade into obscurity once the media stops talking about them, and there are others that return periodically into the mainstream consciousness. But AI is now so fundamentally intertwined with everything from business to healthcare, that a return to pre-AI life is almost impossible at this point. Nay-sayers may gleefully point out that specific tools or projects have not achieved predicted popularity, or closely watch the markets to assess the profitability of the major companies operating in the digital sector. Yet, if we take a step back and assess the bigger picture, the appetite for AI has grown not waned – and the more we find beneficial ways to incorporate technology into our lives, the more people who will reject the notion that it is a passing trend, with the underlying implication that one day it will be much less relevant than it is right now.
A people-led revolution
A common thread across all historical times of advancement has been that the initial ideas and inventions from a select group were then widely adopted by the masses, and this is something we are undoubtedly experiencing when it comes to the age of AI. A quarter of employees report using AI every day, and almost half would consider swapping to a role that made more use of these technologies, according to the Global AI Workplace Report.
The same report states 36% of people would give up a four-day working week and 37% the ability to work remotely rather than give up AI, recognising its immense benefits and the additional future uses yet to be uncovered. The appetite and enthusiasm extends beyond their working hours too, with research showing anywhere between a third and two thirds of respondents – depending on the demographics of those asked – were utilising tools and technologies in the home and in their personal lives.
Changing the world
Alongside a growing demand from individuals, and increasing utilisation by businesses, we have already seen some significant and powerful advances in core sectors made through the implementation of AI.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have already developed an AI algorithm which can examine biopsy images 1,000 times more quickly than doctors, with a cancer detection accuracy rate of 87%. In the Amazon rainforest, AI models are being deployed to monitor deforestation and protect biodiversity. And 75% of survey respondents living with neurodiversity or a disability said making use of Microsoft’s work assistant helped boost inclusion in their workplace.
There are many other examples of how AI is improving the world around us: helping to detect disease more quickly, protect endangered species, educate and support the mental health of our children, and much more.
A way of life
AI isn’t just one tool that might be forgotten in years to come – it’s a whole industry in itself, with a vast array of uses that have already been thought of and many more which will become apparent the further through the Digital Age we progress. Much like any area of rapid change before it, there will always be early adopters and those who remain hesitant, even in the face of so much evidence that it is here to stay. There are projects and particular innovation programmes within the AI sector which have not been as successful as hoped, of course, but again this is the case with any area of progress, and does not point to an overall failure.
The very nature of innovation requires trials, new iterations, adjustments and sometimes a conclusion that the project has not worked as intended. But balance this against the many AI inventions which have already been successfully adopted by thousands, if not millions, of users worldwide, and it is clear there is a demand for and a huge range of benefits associated with AI. We have collectively barely scratched the surface of the abilities AI has to positively impact all areas of human life, and that is why the scope for the digital industry, and Artificial Intelligence in particular, is about as vast as anyone could imagine.
