VIVEK KOUL
We are using technology very successfully to democratise both creation of information as well as the distribution and access of information and now we need to turn the technology to democratise creation and access to intelligence. Current generation is going through that phase of technology where Artificial Intelligence plays its crucial role. Artificial Intelligence is basically the study of ideas which enable computers to do the things that make people seem intelligent. The central goal of Artificial Intelligence is to make computers more useful and to understand the principles which make intelligence possible. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly but surely creeping into the daily lives of people and will definitely go a long way in shaping the world completely thereby giving new thrust to the modern era of computation. This is going to bring a new revolution in the field of technology and will make working environment so easy and convenient. Modern machines are programmed to think and act with some level of human intelligence which will drastically transform the shape and structure of the modern technological world. This has already started to affect our daily life in ways that we could not even have begun to contemplate only a hundred years ago. Our lives have been changed beyond measure by robotics and AI and this technology is used in a wide array of day to day services. In spite of AI being at its infancy even now, we have already benefited immensely. AI can be used to perform the most boring and/or dangerous jobs of daily life. There are already robotic systems that perform services like fire-fighting, thus reducing the danger courted by civilians. Moreover, there are a lot of devices in the market that can be programmed to the preferred setting and they will perform household chores without much human input. Vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, lawn mowers, etc. are examples of this kind of use of AI. Another very important use of this technology is its use in security, both at the national and at the individual level. Sophisticated burglary alarm systems make use of such technology while national security agencies use data on AI systems, which provide a highly accurate output of problems the nation might face. It has its uses in crime fighting as well. With the help of available data, criminal profiles can be built and analysed in order to help fight crime more effectively. Artificial Intelligence is used in education and learning in various ways. It can be used to provide personalised tutoring and analyses student’s study patterns to predict when they will get stuck and provide assistance at the level by alerting the tutor. For students with learning disabilities, this technology can be immensely helpful as well. Educational software can be adapted to the individual needs of different students, provide feedback, and automate time consuming tasks like grading, leaving the teacher free to pursue actual teaching. In addition to students, elderly and disabled people can also benefit from this technology. The invention of robots programmed with Artificial Intelligence can easily assist people in need of help. Yet another use would be in speech therapy with the help of voice recognition systems. AI would also be helpful in research and development in the medical field as well as in the actual care of patients. Medicine is a field in which technology is much needed. The advancement in computer technology has empowered the software developers and domain knowledge experts to build more intelligent tools for assisting medical practitioners in making their decisions. In medicine, the relationship between disease and symptom is hardly ever one to one. So the differentiation of the diagnosis that shares an overlapping range of symptoms is inherently difficult for a doctor. An intelligent system can resolve real world problems using human knowledge and following human reasoning skills. Artificial Intelligence in medicine is a new research area that combines sophisticated representational and computing techniques with the insights of expert physicians to produce tools for improving health care. The potential of this technology is immense in transport as well. Driver-less trains and metros are already in use. There are also software programmed cars available in the market today. With the help of such vehicles, even the most inexperienced driver would be able to travel much more safely. In addition, traffic jams and diversions can be avoided by analysing traffic patterns and predicting jams, which can then be prevented by alternate measures. There is immense scope for Artificial Intelligence in all spheres of our day to day life and only the time will tell us that how long it will go to take the technological advancements to new frontiers.
