5 things in your daily life that are an AI — and you didn’t even know it
Written by Katia Rojas Sandoval and Laura Ferrando
Artificial intelligence (AI) is somewhat a controversial topic that we have all discussed sometime. Nowadays, AI is an especially contested matter when it comes to its implementation in the workplace: some people think AI only means a shift in the way the job market works, replacing boring and mechanical tasks with more intellectual and sophisticated job posts. While others believe AI is going to destroy jobs and put workers in a quite precarious situation.
Popular culture doesn’t depict a more hopeful vision on AI either, as we can see in movies like the Matrix Trilogy or the Westworld TV show. We often imagine AI as an evil entity whose goal is to replace or dominate humans. Likewise, we tend to assume the advances in robotics will lead to artificial versions of ourselves, fearing they will end up replacing us and what makes us human will lack meaning after all.
Most of us think AI is still some years away from impacting our lives. What if we told you that you’re already using AI in your daily life — and in ways that improve and simplify it?
Here are five examples of AI in your life:
- Online shopping
Is it easier and more comfortable for you to get some nice wireless headphones for your cell phone through Amazon? What about if I say that Amazon will not only sell them to you but also offers the glass screen protector plus the latest selfie stick?
Through AI, e-commerce platforms have gathered information from your previous purchases, searches and interests, giving you suggestions of what you will need, just in case you haven’t realized it yet. Every search you are making, not only gives them what you are looking for, but information about your personal preferences.
Search engines keep working to learn how to think just like you do.
Another fact quite related to e-commerce and AI are the chatbots. They make you feel closer to a human although there is not always a person behind the screen.
2. Music, video, series and movies
You may feel you are in total control of preferences, but YouTube may show you this really cool new group you will love for the next two years. You will listen to a lot of their records and memorize some of their lyrics.
Or, how many times have you started watching this really cool series just because Netflix suggested it? AI is playing a big role in these suggestions. By comparing with other people who liked similar media to you, Netflix, YouTube or Spotify can recommend new content.
3. Smart home devices: Nest
Smart home devices to control heat, music, set an alarm or change the color and intensity of lights are a clear example of how we are surrounded by AI. We are not far away from the moment when all our smart home devices will be through AI only.
Can you imagine your home appliances making things in an autonomous way just by knowing your preferences? Let’s imagine we wake up with a hot and well done coffee, under our preferences, in the kitchen. This could be possible just by crossing data between the alarm device and your coffee maker.
Or let’s say your vacuum cleaner will go through your house three times per week to clean your floor so that it is neat by the time you come back from work. Sounds like a science fiction film but we may be less than 5 years away from it.
4. Navigation and travelling
Any time you get a Uber both the pricing and car that matches your ride request is decided by AI. Either if you go by car, bus, train, bike or even walking, routes in Google maps use artificial intelligence to interpret thousands of data that they receive to give real time information.
5. Social media feeds
Is it impossible for you to get out of social media? How much time do you spend at social networks like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat? AI may be the main cause for this growing addiction.
AI helps all these platforms to follow your social media behaviour and interactions. Collecting feedback on what you like, love, dislike, gets you angry or makes you laugh. It collects, monitors, analyzes, summarizes and visualizes your social media data, usually driven by specific parameters from a target population.
And the reason why distraction and procrastination have almost become a national sport, which by the way, is highly practice among millennials.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several aspects of your life that are mediated by an AI already. Here we selected just a few examples, but there’s many more! If you’re interested in learning more about AI and how it’s impacting your daily life, here are some interesting resources:
