We have all seen the Terminator series right? And we all know what happens when AI takes over the world. So then why are we developing AI? – I used to be one of those people. Before I put my Spectrum cable packages aside, I believed perfecting AI would be the end of us. But then I opened my eyes and realized the gross error of my ways.
AI is not at all what Hollywood would have you believe. It’s nowhere close. So let’s dive straight into clearing out all your misconceptions about AI.
#1. AI is a Brain
The first and biggest misconception of them all. Many people assume that AI is going to be capable of thinking like a human brain. That is completely incorrect. We assume that AI can think. But it can’t. At least not like the way a human brain can think. What you need to remember is that above all else, AI is a set of commands.
What does that mean? It means that AI must always follow the basic set of commands, values, and protocols given to it. It can never create its own set of commands. Simply use the ones it has to come p with a solution to a problem. And even then it can’t handle more than one specific task. If you ask it to do more, it’s going to crash.
#2. Learning on Its Own
Yes, that is true. But likely, not in the way you’re thinking. If you are thinking that AI can learn on its own without anyone helping it. That is not how the technology works. And it likely will never work like that. AI is and always will be human-dependent. That means someone will always have to update AI software with new knowledge.
AI is a computer program. It might be able to give the impression that it can learn on its own. But no. Data scientists have to form a problem, formulate a set of data, and then tell the AI program to analyze and solve the problem. And most importantly, they have to update the software with new data.
#3. It can be Unbiased
You can argue that since AI is a program, it can be unbiased. You could argue, but you would be wrong. It is important to clarify that AI can never think for itself. It cannot collect data for itself. it has to be fed data. And data is compiled by humans. Humans are biased. We are opinionated.
So how can the data we create be objective? And is the data that we create is not objective. Then how can the analysis of that data done by an AI be objective? Only when the data given to an AI program to analyze is truly unbiased, can the result be unbiased.
Of course, developers are working on a way to help make AI unbiased. What most people are doing is having teams oversee each other’s dataset for any bias. But even then, it is a long shot.
#4. Doing Simple Tasks is Easy for AI
AI is a growing platform. The operative word here being ‘platform’. That means it is a program which can be tasked with anything. AI is not only good for answering simple queries like in your smartphone or website Chatbots. It is a platform that can be developed to perform any task. Of course, more complex tasks require more complex AI programs.
Did you ever consider the use of AI in analyzing X-Rays? That is a complex task. That is why professionals spend years learning. And even more, time shadowing experts. But AI can be developed to analyze X-Rays and more. Of course, just because an AI can analyze an X-Ray doesn’t mean that radiologists will no longer be required. In fact, the opposite is true.
#5. It will Replace Humans
Another big misconception is that AI programs will not need humans. The opposite is true in fact. The more advanced AI programs get, the more human dependent they become. AI systems can only learn from data provided by humans. Humans need to be involved in AI development and maintenance constantly.
Without human involvement, AI systems will stagnate. They will not be able to update themselves, gather newer information, or give themselves new tasks.
Conclusion
The more you research, the more you realize that AI is still in the early development stages. We are still trying and failing to make an advanced AI system. While simpler systems are easier, the more advanced ones are not.
Today, more than half the websites I visit through my Spectrum internet plans, have some basic form of AI. Chatbots are nothing but basic AI systems. But as technology develops we are sure to see more advanced systems in play.
