What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a confusing concept, and it is displayed in a variety of ways that fail to clarify its use to many of us. It is depicted in movies through AI robots taking over the world, on adverts as useful in our home and in fiction as otherworldly technology that is lightyears away.
AI can seem past our expertise but contradictingly also at our fingertips. Most people fear they will never understand it, but are content to let it be developed by the technologically literate in the background of our lives. But, it is important that everyone can understand it, that it isn’t a puzzle and people feel safe and secure in the new developments.
What is AI and how is it being used?
Luckily one of our resident experts Kaili-Larissa has assured us that AI is simply the ability for a machine to imitate human behavior, and we use it all the time already. When we write an email and use predictive typing or autocorrect or use a google suggested search, that is using AI. When Netflix suggests a never ending list of content you may like- also AI. These simple uses for AI save us time on a daily basis but it has so much potential to do more.
How does it work?
Great minds from all countries are working on new ways to use AI and developing it in different sectors and for different purposes. An important part of AI development that we are focused on is machine learning. AI and machine learning are not synonymous concepts. Thankfully Kaili-Larissa broke it down for us. Machine learning is a current AI application of giving machines access to data and letting them learn. This involves data management, statistical concepts and the identification of proper models. It is a type of AI that is focused on data, and the AI tool using that data to learn by itself, such as with Google searches.
Will AI take over the world?
Kaili-Larissa wasn’t sure what the future will be- if we will walk hand in hand with an AI bot or be faced with conflict. But, in her words, “I want to be on the right side of history. AI is here, it’s becoming more prevalent in our everyday lives, and it’s helping people around the world who may not have access to speak with a live human being.” Regardless of the future AI developers are bound by ethics and (hopefully) good intentions. We are grateful to the whole AI team, and teams around the world, who are developing tools to help humanity. I hope their views reflect Kaili’s: “If I can contribute to AI with positive intentions, bound to the ethics of fairness, reliability, safety, and inclusiveness, I feel better having some control over the tool of the future and proud of the positive impact I can make in this area.”
We Encourage and AI
Helping humanity through technology is especially important in our work against domestic violence. Not everyone will be able to access in person services or have someone to talk to about it, whether that is due to shame, those around them being accepting of the situation or fear of repercussions from speaking out. Our team is creating our AINO conversational AI tool for victims of domestic violence. Our mission is “ to harness the powers of this tool for good, to help others, and to save humanity and not destroy it.” It will be available as a test version at the end of May so check it out here.
Thank you again to Kaili for breaking down AI for those of us not in the tech sector.
For more information from our AI tool piloting campaign, follow We Encourage on social media in Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
