The artificial world: Artificial intelligence has become increasingly significant… maybe more than you realize

Landon Durm, Staff Writer

Artificial intelligence is all around us — it’s in our phones, cars, and even our homes. As our world continues to evolve, so does technology. Contrary to what movies like “Terminator” depict — most modern technology is positive and helps improve our daily lives. Artificial intelligence is a field of science that has advanced tremendously in the past few years featuring breakthroughs like verbal recognition, self-awareness, biometrics, and even decision management. While artificial intelligence may have its critics, the benefits to this technology far outweigh its disadvantages. No technology today contributes to the medical and engineering field as much as artificial intelligence does. It opens up ideas and concepts that will lead us down different paths on our way to advance technology itself.

In the past year, researchers and teams of engineers have designed artificial intelligence that not only aids in humanity but also saves lives. For instance, consumers can now wear these new devices that are able to track our health, monitor our vitals, and are able to now make phone calls. It’s not just smart watches either: a device developed by Amazon helps to implement artificial intelligence in our daily lives by setting alarms, reminders, buying groceries, placing orders on Amazon, or even playing games. Maybe you’ve met Alexa before? If not there’s probably one lying around your friend’s house. 

When some worried detractors think about artificial intelligence, the first thought they have is the singularity or robots taking over the world. This way of thinking does not reflect what artificial intelligence truly is. Artificial intelligence is essentially a computer that is like a human in the way that it can sense verbal and visual perception along with making concise and thought-out decisions based on emotion or facts. Although you may consider killer robots as artificial intelligence, you’d be surprised that even your laptop and phones are artificial intelligence.. While some people don’t trust AI they do heavily rely on the technology around them. You’ve probably at one point woken up and went straight to your device or phone to check messages. And that right there is called simple artificial intelligence.

Another type of artificial intelligence is self-aware AI, which is technology that can make logical decisions based on information around it. Just last November, OpenAI – one of the biggest artificial intelligence companies – launched ChatGPT, a chat box that will essentially do anything you request. This is especially significant because it means a huge step toward advancements in new technologies and even newer resources to help with health and medicines. A.I. will help to provide or suggest steps for consumers to maintain having better health, along with providing advice on how to live safely. AI has always been around but it was not until recently that teams of engineers have figured out how to apply these ideas in the world around us and society today. 

It’s important that as a society, where we have so much within our reach, that we truly understand what technology does for us. Which is why we need it to survive and thrive in this evolving world.