Introduction:
You are surrounded by AI. Have you ever wondered how your favourite streaming service suggests the exact shows and films you’re in the mood for, or how those targeted ads seem to know exactly what you want to buy? That’s AI in action — it’s picking up on your habits and preferences to provide a tailored experience. It’s pretty cool, right?? However, AI is much more than just suggesting the newest technology or keeping you up late watching binge-watching. Many of the technologies you use on a daily basis without even realising it are powered by AI.
From the GPS that helps you navigate to the smart assistant that controls your home’s temperature, AI has quietly become an integral part of your daily life. This article will explore some of the most common AI applications you encounter regularly and how they work their technological magic. By the end, you’ll have a whole new appreciation for how AI makes life more efficient, convenient and connected. The future is here, and it’s more AI-powered than you ever imagined.
What Is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Artificial intelligence or AI refers to computer systems designed by humans that can perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. AI uses machine learning algorithms and deep learning neural networks to learn directly from data, identify patterns, and make decisions with minimal human input.
AI powers many technologies we use every day:
- Virtual Assistants like Siri, Alexa and Cortana understand your voice commands and can respond to questions as well as control smart home devices.
- Facial Recognition allows social media apps to detect faces and suggest tags, and some security systems use it for access control.
- Self-Driving Cars use sensors, cameras and AI to navigate roads and avoid collisions without human operation. Companies like Tesla, Google and Uber are testing prototype autonomous vehicles.
- Product or Movie Recommendations on sites like Amazon and Netflix are generated using AI that determines your interests based on your previous purchases, views and ratings.
- Email Spam and Malware Detection filters use machine learning to detect suspicious messages and block them from your inbox.
While research is being done to address concerns about bias and job disruption, AI will continue to advance and have an impact on our lives in both visible and invisible ways. Nonetheless, AI has the potential to significantly advance a variety of industries, including science, healthcare, and education, when used responsibly. If we are prepared to accept the intelligence — artificial or otherwise — that surrounds us, the future looks bright.
Common AI Applications We Use Every Day:
AI is being used in so many ways to make our lives more efficient and convenient. Here are some of the most common AI applications you probably use every day:
Smart Assistants:
- Virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant use AI to understand your questions and commands, then respond helpfully. They can control smart home devices, set reminders, play music, answer questions and more.
Image Recognition:
- Apps like Google Photos and iPhoto use AI for facial recognition to automatically organize your photos by the people in them. AI also powers reverse image search so you can find the source of an image or similar ones.
Recommendation Engines:
- When you shop online, streaming services recommend movies or YouTube suggests videos, AI is analyzing your interests and behavior to suggest things you might like. The more you use the service, the more tailored the recommendations become.
Autocorrect and Smart Compose:
- Messaging apps, email services and word processors use AI to suggest corrections or complete words and phrases as you type to save time and frustration. The AI considers context to determine the most appropriate suggestion.
Ride-Sharing:
- Services like Uber and Lyft rely on AI to match riders with the nearest available driver, determine optimal routes, calculate accurate ETAs and set fare prices based on factors like traffic and demand. AI makes the entire experience fast, convenient and efficient.
AI is transforming technology and our daily lives in so many beneficial ways. Understanding how it works helps us appreciate the convenience and productivity it enables, even in small but meaningful measures. AI may be artificial but the impact on our everyday lives is quite real!
AI in Your Smartphone and Home Devices:
AI powers many of the apps and smart devices you use every day. From voice assistants to recommendation algorithms, artificial intelligence has seamlessly integrated into our lives.
Smartphones:
- There are numerous AI systems operating in the background on your smartphone. Have you ever tagged friends in pictures or unlocked your phone using facial recognition software? Machine learning is being used there. Natural language processing is a technique used by voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, and Bixby to comprehend speech and provide answers to queries.
- AI-powered recommendation systems make suggestions for products you might like based on your past purchases and the preferences of similar users when you shop online or stream music and movies. Even autocorrect and autofill functions use artificial intelligence to anticipate the next word or phrase you will type.
Smart Home Devices:
- AI is a common feature used in smart home appliances to improve their performance. You can use your voice to control other connected devices, play music, and get information with smart speakers that have virtual assistants built in. AI-enabled security cameras can monitor your home by spotting movement or sound and notifying you of it.
- Using machine learning, smart thermostats adjust the temperature in your home to suit the schedules and preferences of your family. They become more adept at anticipating the settings that will maximise energy efficiency while maintaining your comfort over time. Robotic vacuums use AI systems to map your home and get better at cleaning with every use.
- Even though artificial intelligence (AI) will only grow and become more useful in our daily lives, it’s crucial to know when and how to use these systems. The next time your smart thermostat twitches the temperature or Siri sets a reminder, consider the AI at work to enable those useful features. Artificial intelligence can help you now, but the future is automated.
The Future of AI: Emerging Applications on the Horizon:
The future of AI promises exciting advances that could improve and enhance our lives in many ways. Here are a few emerging applications to keep an eye on:
Personalized Healthcare:
- AI has the capacity to deliver incredibly personalised healthcare based on your individual genetic background, past medical conditions, and way of life. Your health data could be analysed by AI systems to help doctors diagnose conditions more accurately, recommend personalised treatment plans, and detect diseases early. AI might even aid in the development of medications and treatments that are specifically suited for each patient.
Autonomous Vehicles:
- Self-driving cars are on the horizon, with many companies testing autonomous vehicle technology. AI powers the sensors, computer vision, and navigation systems that will allow cars to perceive the environment around them, follow traffic laws, and transport passengers without a human driver. Widespread use of autonomous vehicles could help reduce accidents and traffic.
Smart Homes and Cities:
- AI will allow homes and cities to become more automated, connected, and responsive. Smart home devices with AI assistants can already control temperature, lighting, security systems, and more. AI will enhance these systems to anticipate needs, detect emergencies, and optimize energy usage. On a city scale, AI can help manage transportation, utilities, public services, and security to improve efficiency and sustainability.
AI Companions and Creativity Tools:
- AI systems that use natural language and tailored responses to function as friends or assistants are being developed by certain businesses. AI may be useful for creative tasks as well, such as creating virtual designs, music, poetry, images, and more. AI tools have the potential to accelerate and improve creative work, but human artists will always be the best.
The future is bright for continued progress in AI that improves lives, enhances experiences, and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. While skepticism about AI is understandable, many exciting and beneficial applications are on the horizon if we’re able to address challenges and use the technology responsibly. The future of AI is what we make of it.
Conclusion:
Artificial intelligence has already permeated many aspects of your everyday life, from your phone’s virtual assistants to the smart home appliances that regulate your home’s temperature. The way AI continues to change our lives and workplaces makes the future exciting. Even though the technology may appear complicated, artificial intelligence (AI) is really just about creating systems that are able to sense their surroundings, learn, reason, and act in ways that are beneficial to humanity. AI systems will become even more integrated into our lives as they grow in intelligence and capability, hopefully improving efficiency and making life a little bit easier in the process.
The key is ensuring these systems are designed and deployed responsibly by putting people first and focusing AI on augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing them. If we’re thoughtful about how we build and apply AI, it can be developed and used in a way that is empowering and equitable for all. The future is bright, so keep an open and optimistic mind — you’re going to be interacting with AI a whole lot more!
