Artificial Intelligence
AI: transforming the world – and for the better
CIE editor Amy Wallington finds out about how artificial intelligence is having a major impact on the world of technology and electronics
A
rtificial intelligence (AI) is proving to be such a major area of interest and development that some of the biggest names in the communications sector are investing billions into research. Among the big players in this sector are major corporations such as Samsung, Thales, Facebook, Microsoft and Google, who are all looking to drive this technology forward. The deep learning subset of artificial intelligence is entering the public’s conscience. Autonomous vehicles that rely heavily on AI already exist, for example, so making sure this technology is robust, reliable and even affordable is crucial. In 2016 there were reports of Google DeepMind’s ‘AlphaGo Zero’ algorithm using deep learning to defeat (by four games to one) the world champion of the ancient Chinese board game Go,
considered to be the most complicated board game ever created. According to one report, there are more potential configurations of the board than there are atoms in the universe and winning at Go requires intuition, creativity and visual imagination. The victory was said to have shocked many experts in the AI community who had thought such an event was at least a decade away. The CEO of Google DeepMind is a former world chess champion who has said he would never attempt to pit his wits against AlphaGo. The concept behind deep learning, as opposed to other machine learning methods where there are limitations to development, is that as large neural networks are fed with more and more data, the performance levels improve and then improve further. It is this deep
learning, combined with a technology called reinforcement learning that achieves better and better results in recognising sounds and images. In deep learning, a series of algorithms function as artificial neural networks based on the structure and function of the brain (the ‘depth’ relates to the number of layers in a network). All this enables AI to move forward and be incorporated into robots that are capable of responding to their environment.
Artificial intelligence looks set to change the world in a way that few can currently conceive and this raises a whole raft of what Montréal-based researchers have called “unprecedented ethical challenges in the short and long term”. It should be no surprise, therefore, that many countries have started pouring into AI research unprecedented amounts of money, in an effort to build hubs of knowledge and creativity. Research by International Data Corp (IDC) points to growth in the AI market to more than $47 billion by 2020 (from $8 billion in 2016). The reality is that while AI clearly has massive potential that can drive the world forward and should be pushing boundaries wherever possible, the technology still has to operate within certain human guidelines. One commentator has said that setting an AI system the challenge of how to eradicate cancer in humans might logically result in the suggestion that the only sure-fire way would be to eradicate humans. While this might be dismissed as alarmist ‘robots will destroy humans’ rhetoric, embracing AI inevitably brings with it the very serious question of how it will affect humanity.
For decades it has been acknowledged that automation has helped to eliminate monotony and improve health and safety
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in the workplace, including humble pick- and-place robots or automated paint spraying booths. In recent years, there has been a conscious decision to weigh the benefits of automation against the effects it can have on people’s lives and livelihoods and the best AI experts understand this. In the USA, driverless trucks are said to
offer a potential threat to millions of drivers’ jobs over the next 10 years and beyond. Efficiency may improve, delivery times may be reduced, there may be fewer road deaths and injuries caused by driver error, but what will happen to the drivers? The World Economic Forum takes this issue very seriously, asking what will happen “after the end of jobs” and “How do we distribute the wealth created by machines?” It also asks “How do we stay in control of a complex intelligent system [like AI]?” An ever-increasing number of households, buildings, transport systems and cities will be managed by artificial intelligence systems in the years to come. But how this unfolds is not just a question of developing the technology to make it happen; equally important is how we control that technology and make it work for the benefit of humankind and this issue will be front and centre in the minds of researchers and developers at Thales, Samsung, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and others.
Events catering to the AI community have become hugely popular. CogX London, for example, styles itself as a “Festival of All Things AI”. Registration is open for this event taking place June 11- 12, 2018. Whatever happens in the ‘new revolution’ that is AI, one thing is for certain – all eyes will be on AI pioneers whose work will undoubtedly change the world and transform our lives forever.
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