Most people don’t realize how dependent we are on artificial intelligence as a society. It’s almost like the existence of a limb. You don’t realize how much you rely on it until you can’t.
That’s because AI is such a natural part of life now that it is easy to overlook. Yet, the impact of artificial intelligence on society is more profound today than ever before.
From entertainment and business to healthcare and education, Artificial intelligence impacts every aspect of modern life in one way or another. However, this impact raises questions about the viability, safety, and longevity of artificial intelligence. People regularly voice their concerns about its pros and cons, citing dangers of misalignment of goals between AI and humans.
There is no real way of knowing how AI will turn out in the long run. We can, however, assess how it has changed the lives of humans so far. So let’s look at how AI has impacted society in 2020.
Home Automation
How did we ever get work done without Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, or Google Now AI-powered assistants?! The truth is the impact of artificial intelligence on society is evident nowhere more significant than in our homes.
AI assistants do everything from sending messages to scheduling events and making lives more comfortable in the process. After all, convenience is a currency in the 21st century, and convenience is all that AI assistants provide.
These assistants sense when you enter the home, turn on your lights, play your music, read your messages to you and keep an eye on your home while you are away. It’s easier to look things up on the internet as well with AI-based assistants. That is why artificial intelligence has become such a big part of humans’ lives today and will continue to do so in the future.
Advanced Surveillance
Advanced surveillance is a controversial aspect of AI, yet still hugely impactful on modern lives. It includes using video analytics and detecting abnormal behavior patterns among humans.
The main contribution of AI in surveillance is observing and reporting suspicious behavior that a human may miss. It does so by following the interaction among people and objects in a given environment, and deviation from a set pattern of interactions abnormal. The AI system then alerts the concerned authorities to take action.
AI can also keep track of thousands of movements simultaneously, something not possible for humans. This capability increases the chances of catching potential threats.
AI-powered facial recognition technology also helps in advanced surveillance by storing the facial features of potential suspects. The system can then cross-match the stored data with thousands of databases across the world. As such, it becomes virtually impossible to escape an AI-powered surveillance system.
Transportation & Navigation
It’s almost impossible to think of a time when Google Maps didn’t show the quickest way to your destination. It will soon be impossible to think of a time when fully automated cars didn’t roam the roads of modern society.
Although these advancements are still in their infancy, there is little doubt whether they are scalable. Already, Tesla, Google, Uber, and others have shown the potential of self-driving cars. Here’s a quick look at how they work.
Artificial intelligence uses lasers to create a 3D construct of the car’s surroundings. Numerous cameras and lenses allow the system to detect other vehicles and threats if any. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scans the road ahead for any objects and limits blind spots.
As for navigation, AI analyzes traffic patterns and displays the quickest route to the destination. AI systems can even form a personalized schedule based on daily traveling habits. This feature helps cut down the time it takes to update location information every day.
Game-play & World Building
The impact of artificial intelligence on society extends to the realm of video games and world-building as well. Immersive video games and virtual reality now go hand in hand. This combination is made possible with the power of artificial intelligence.
The advantages of artificial intelligence in video games result in better games that engage players for longer. The world-building in video games such as Red Dead Redemption and Last of Us utilize AI to simulate real-life conditions.
Cutting edge AI technology also allows character development in video games. As players progress through the game, advanced AI enables non-player characters to hurl ethical and moral dilemmas. This feature makes games more engaging and fun for players. Games such as Dark Souls use AI to anticipate human mistakes and increase the difficulty level for players. So players have to put in real effort and intellect into beating the game.
Space Industry
Artificial intelligence has had a profound impact on the space industry and revolutionized the way humans go about space travel. From urban planning to autonomous navigation, the benefits of artificial intelligence in the space industry are countless.
The most important contribution of AI in space technology is the observation of Earth for predicting weather and climate change. These features of artificial intelligence are crucial in saving and improving human lives.
Urban planning is also at the forefront of the space industry, and it improves each passing day with AI. Artificial intelligence technology can help plan entire cities for the future. In this way, less land is utilized more effectively.
Of course, one of the most exciting prospects of AI in space is the exploration of planets. As AI gathers and analyzes data quicker and more efficiently than humans, it can help explore the area faster. Similarly, AI also analyzes the data collected by the Mars Rover to find new inhabitable planets in the universe.
With the help of AI, experts estimate that humans will explore space faster than ever before. We now have the means to reverse climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through advancements in preventive technology.
AI Impact on Business in 2020
All of the advancements in society mean that businesses operate more efficiently as well. Artificial intelligence helps businesses allocate resources appropriately and construct more successful business models. As such, the companies of today are more in-tune with the needs of consumers. They are better equipped to take advantage of market opportunities and help communities.
Here are some of the ways AI helps businesses in 2020.
Online Advertising
Online advertising amplifies the impact of artificial intelligence on society. In the past, conventional advertising would cost millions of dollars. But with artificial intelligence, smart advertising allows businesses to get maximum engagement with minimum expenditure.
A reason for this is because consumer activity online has increased substantially. This development allows businesses to use AI to come up with models that efficiently allocate money for online advertising. As such, online advertising through AI is an effective way to grow sales online. The more time users spend online, the more effectively they can be targeted by AI systems in online advertisements.
Web Searches
The predictive web searches of Google are a miracle of AI. Even though this feature looks straightforward on the surface, it is anything but that.
This predictive text is based on all the information gathered on you by Google. Combine that knowledge with the current trends of the internet, and Google can provide an astonishingly accurate predictive web search.
This feature has helped businesses understand their consumers better than ever. They know what, when, and how consumers are searching for items. As a result, companies can modify their offerings to suit the needs of consumers.
Social Media Communication
Using Artificial intelligence to build profiles on consumers using social media can result in optimized performance. The target audience built for a particular product is communicated using the visuals and text that they find engaging.
AI also helps companies in social media marketing, which is the essential medium of communication nowadays. Thus, businesses can take advantage of the impact of artificial intelligence on society to generate profits.
Not to mention, social media communication is one of the ways to get ahead of the competition. By using AI to analyze social media behavior, companies can be at the right place at the right time to engage with consumers.
Customer Lifecycle & Experience
Firms use smart algorithms to predict consumer behavior online and personalize their experience. The role of AI in the customer lifecycle is monumental understanding and capitalizing it.
Businesses use AI to personalize the customer experience. They do this by providing customized product recommendations that are determined by the algorithm. As AI analyzes the pattern of online behavior, it suggests the best ways to make changes to customer experience elements.
As such, businesses now engage more consumers and for more extended periods with the help of AI.
The impact of artificial intelligence on society is essential, especially for businesses. Yet, we have to be careful about how AI is adopted since some of the dangers are very real.
That being said, there can be no denying that the modern world would not be where it is today without artificial intelligence.
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