The most common question asked on the topic of artificial intelligence is “What is artificial intelligence and how is it going to affect my life?”
Artificial intelligence is “a field of study that focuses on creating machines and computers that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence.”
Recently, I was able to learn about the answers to these questions thanks to a seminar I attended as a member of the Johns Creek Student Leadership Program. I was invited to participate in a presentation led by a college professor, Joe Sutherland, regarding AI and all of its benefits.
Dr. Sutherland is the Inaugural Director of the Emory Center of AI Learning. He also held leadership roles in tech companies such as Cisco and Amazon. One of his biggest achievements was serving in the White House under President Barack Obama where he was responsible for overseeing various policy initiatives. He studied at Columbia, John Hopkins University, and Princeton. Through all of his research, he has covered topics such as AI policies and behavioral economics.
I went into the seminar thinking that AI was more harmful than good and had the potential to replace the need for some jobs. However, I left with a very different view. I found that because of artificial intelligence healthcare, manufacturing, and entertainment are all changing for the better.
In healthcare, AI is used to help diagnose diseases and make working easier for medical providers. I think one of the biggest misunderstandings people have about artificial intelligence is that it’s going to take over their jobs, but Dr. Sutherland shared that AI is only here to help people in their jobs. Because of AI, it is easier for patients to find doctors and get treated for an illness they may have.
Manufacturing is also a big area where AI has begun to step in. It is now able to detect a failure in a machine before it happens because of its sensors. AI can also streamline repetitive tasks, allowing workers to focus on more complex problem-solving and value-added activities. As you can see, because of AI, workers are beginning to focus more on their tasks rather than having to do the same task over and over again.
Dr. Sutherland also spoke about how AI works in the entertainment industry. Georgia is one of the most filmed states in the US. With artificial intelligence companies are able to save money by having AI-complete tasks such as editing films, creating new aspects in a movie, and helping market the movie. It is no surprise that with artificial intelligence the entertainment industry will be able to generate more films.
We’ve seen a rise in the use of AI for many of our everyday tasks – you can ask ChatGPT to help with homework, to create a meal plan or to have it tell you a joke. As Dr. Sutherland concluded he said that AI should affect your life for the better so you are able to be more productive in your day-to-day tasks. What we once thought was “futuristic” is here to stay.
