Sure, artificial intelligence can be used for nearly anything now—but here are some of its most important uses.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way since its inception. Today, it has numerous applications across various industries, and it is changing the way we live and work. Besides AI’s more serious applications, like in healthcare and financial services, it can also be used to create art, write content, taste-test beer and make memes. Here, we explore its most life-changing inventions along with some fun applications we can all look forward to.
1. Virtual assistants
One of the most significant applications of AI is virtual assistants. Virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant use natural language processing (NLP) to understand voice commands and perform various tasks, such as setting reminders, sending messages and playing music. For example, you can ask Siri to set an alarm for you, and it will do so without any manual input.
Virtual assistants are also used in customer service has provided quick and efficient responses to customers, making businesses more efficient and profitable. As AI continues to evolve, the possibilities for virtual assistants are endless.
2. Self-driving cars
Imagine if you could sit back, relax and listen to music while your car drove itself to your destination. What a dream, right? Well, it’s one that AI transforms into reality. Self-driving cars use computer vision to navigate roads and avoid obstacles. They use cameras and sensors to detect other cars, pedestrians and traffic signals. For example, Tesla is working on developing fully self-driving cars that can steer, accelerate and brake on their own, allowing the driver to take their hands off the wheel for a short period.
Self-driving cars have the potential to reduce accidents and make transportation more efficient. Moreover, AI is also used to create simulations that test the safety of these autonomous vehicles, making the roads safer for everyone.
3. Image and speech recognition
As AI technology advances, the use of image and speech recognition is becoming increasingly prevalent. With image recognition, AI is able to analyze the contents of an image and identify objects, people or places within it. It also analyzes facial features to determine the person inside the photo (P.S. This technology comprises some serious biases, like racist tendencies, as of now). Up till November 2021, Facebook used image recognition to automatically tag people in photos.
Meanwhile, speech recognition technology allows users to transcribe spoken words into text, which is particularly useful for dictation software and virtual assistants.
4. Recommendation systems
Ever wondered why Amazon recommends a phone stand and cover after you purchase a mobile on the site? Or how Netflix knows what we want to watch next? And how social media platforms suggest friends and groups for us to follow or connect with? It’s all thanks to recommendation algorithms.
AI recommendation algorithms can analyze a vast amount of data and predict patterns in user behavior, preferences and interests to make personalized recommendations for products, services or content. They typically use data such as browsing history, search queries and purchase history to identify patterns in a user’s behavior and make recommendations based on that information. These algorithms not only increase sales and engagement but also provide users with personalized experiences.
5. Fraud detection
AI is revolutionizing fraud detection, providing businesses with advanced tools to identify and prevent fraudulent activities, such as credit card fraud, insurance fraud and identity theft. For example, some credit card companies use AI algorithms to analyze transactional data and detect patterns that indicate fraudulent activity. Healthcare providers are also employing AI-powered fraud detection systems to prevent medical fraud, which can lead to increased healthcare costs and lower quality of care for patients. These algorithms can quickly identify suspicious transactions and flag them for further investigation, helping to prevent financial losses for both individuals and institutions.
Bonus application: Taste-testing food and beverages
Want to crack open a cold one with a robot? That’s not a fever dream anymore. Researchers in the UK have developed a beer-sniffing robot that uses AI to taste-test different types of beer. Using gas sensors and machine learning algorithms, the robot can detect the unique “smellprint” of different types of beer with a high level of accuracy. Additionally, the machine learning algorithms used by the robot allow it to learn and improve over time, making it even better at identifying different types of beer.
While the beer-sniffing robot might seem like a fun and quirky application of AI technology, it actually has practical uses in the beer industry. By using the robot to taste-test their products, breweries and beer manufacturers can ensure that their beer is consistent and of high quality.
From virtual assistants to self-driving cars, AI is changing the way we live and work, and the possibilities are endless. The potential for AI to transform our lives is immense, and we are just scratching the surface of what is possible. As AI continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see what new applications will emerge in the years to come.
Also read:
- How Does Face Recognition AI Work?
- Discovering the Best AI Art Generators 2023
- Top 5 Epic Fails of AI Chatbots
Header Image by Unsplash
