The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence in the Last Year
How AI is Changing the World
Earlier this week, Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield won the Nobel Prize for Physics. They are largely seen as the Godfathers of machine learning and AI. In light of that, I thought it would be a great opportunity to reflect on how far AI has come in only the last year.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year. It’s a fascinating topic, and many new developments are making it an even bigger part of our lives. This article will help you understand what’s new with AI, how it’s improving, and what the future might look like. To keep it simple, we’ll break down everything into easy-to-read sections.
What is AI?
Before we jump into the new stuff, let’s quickly review what AI is. Artificial Intelligence is a type of technology that makes machines, like computers, think and learn like humans. Just like your brain helps you solve problems, read, or make decisions, AI allows computers and robots to do similar things.
In the last year, AI has become smarter, faster, and cheaper. Companies, schools, hospitals, and even our phones use AI to make tasks easier and more efficient.
The Expanding Use of AI
One of the biggest changes in AI over the past year is how it’s being used in more and more places. Just a few years ago, AI seemed like a technology only scientists or big companies used. But now, it’s showing up everywhere, changing the way we live, work, and play.
Healthcare: Making Doctors’ Jobs Easier. AI is being used in hospitals and clinics to help doctors diagnose illnesses faster. For example, if someone has a suspicious-looking lump, an AI can look at an image of it and help the doctor decide if it’s cancer or not. This means patients can get the treatment they need faster. Some AI systems can even predict who might get sick in the future by looking at medical records. This helps doctors catch problems early before they get worse.
Education: Helping Students and Teachers. AI is helping teachers create personalized lessons for students. Imagine a teacher who knows exactly what you struggle with and gives you specific tips to improve. AI can do that!
AI-powered tutoring systems can help students practice math, grammar, and even learn new languages. Apps like Duolingo and Khan Academy use AI to adapt lessons based on how well a student is doing.
Everyday Technology: Making Phones and Computers Smarter. AI is making voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant even smarter. They understand your commands better and can have longer conversations without getting confused. Apps that remove backgrounds from pictures, change your voice in real-time, or create custom playlists are getting better, thanks to AI.
Law. AI has expanded notably in the field of law where it is now being utilized to author and edit legal briefs and contracts, assess quality and find important information. AI has already been implemented in case decisions working to understand the plain meanings of statutes and laws, and in application of sentencing guidelines. As the legal world requires a substantial amount of documentation and reading, AI provides an exemplary use case for analyzing, summarizing and classifying facts and documentation in a variety of ways.
Robotics: More Helpful Robots in Real Life. Robots are becoming more advanced, thanks to AI. For example, some robots can move around warehouses, pick up items, and help with deliveries. There are even robotic dogs that can help rescue teams in dangerous situations like searching for missing people in a disaster zone.
Proliferation of AI Models
In the world of AI, there’s been a huge increase in the number of AI models being created. An AI model is like a recipe for making computers think in a particular way. Some of the most famous models include ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and Microsoft’s AI-based tools. Let’s look at what’s happening in the world of AI models:
More Models for More Tasks
A year ago, AI models were often made for specific tasks. For example, one AI might help translate languages, while another might help play chess. But now, there are new models that can do many tasks all at once! These new models are called multimodal models.
A multimodal AI model can understand pictures, text, and even sound. Imagine an AI that can look at a picture of a dog and tell you if it’s happy or sad, explain why, and then describe the scene in multiple languages. That’s the power of multimodal models.
More Models Available for Everyone
One of the biggest changes is that AI models aren’t just for big companies anymore. They’re being made available to small businesses, schools, and individuals.
Some companies even allow people to build their own mini-models without knowing how to code. This means if you want to create your own chatbot or image-editing tool, you can do it easily.
Specialized Models for Different Jobs
AI models are being customized for specific jobs. For instance, there are AI models made just for detecting if news articles are fake or not. Others are made for helping musicians create new songs by suggesting melodies or lyrics.
Costs Are Dropping
One thing that has really changed in the past year is the cost of using AI. It used to be very expensive to build or use an AI system. But now, thanks to some big improvements, it’s becoming cheaper and more affordable for everyone. Here’s why:
Cheaper Hardware
AI needs powerful computers to run, and these used to cost a lot of money. But now, hardware (the physical machines) is getting cheaper. Companies are finding ways to make powerful computers that don’t cost as much.
Cloud services, which allow companies to use powerful computers over the internet without having to buy them, have also dropped in price. This lets smaller companies use AI without a big investment.
Shared AI Models
More companies are sharing their AI models for free or at a low cost. This means small businesses or startups can use powerful AI without having to build it from scratch.
Some AI systems, like ChatGPT, have free versions that students, researchers, and regular people can use for educational purposes.
More Efficient AI Models
New AI models are being made to work faster while using less power. Just like how newer phones use less battery, newer AI models need less computing power to get the same job done.
This means the overall cost of using AI is dropping, making it available for more people and more uses.
Accuracy is Improving
The fourth major improvement in AI is how much more accurate it has become. Just like how you get better at a video game the more you play, AI models get better at their jobs the more data they have. Over the past year, AI models have been trained with more data than ever before, making them smarter and more reliable. Here’s how:
Better at Understanding Language
AI can now understand longer and more complex conversations. This is why chatbots are getting better at holding natural conversations without repeating themselves or giving weird answers. AI can also detect emotions in text. For example, it can understand if you’re happy, sad, or frustrated based on the way you type. This helps companies create more friendly and responsive customer service bots.
Improved Image Recognition
AI is much better at recognizing what’s in a picture. For example, it can tell the difference between a cat and a dog with almost 100% accuracy.
This ability is helping in areas like security (detecting suspicious activity), retail (identifying products), and even social media (automatically tagging friends in photos).
Better Predictions
AI can predict trends and future events with greater accuracy. For example, it can help businesses figure out what products will be popular next year or help farmers predict weather patterns to plan their crops.
This predictive power is also being used in science. AI models are helping researchers find new materials, medicines, and even predict natural disasters like earthquakes or floods.
Real-World Examples of AI in Action
Let’s look at some real-world examples to see how AI is making a difference right now:
Self-Driving Cars
Companies like Tesla and Waymo are using AI to create cars that can drive themselves. While these cars aren’t perfect yet, they’re getting better every year. Some self-driving cars can already drive on highways and in busy city streets without human help.
Smart Homes
AI is making homes smarter. Devices like thermostats, lights, and security cameras can learn your preferences and adapt to your schedule. For example, a smart thermostat can learn when you usually leave the house and lower the temperature to save energy.
AI in Agriculture
Farmers are using AI to monitor their crops and animals. For example, drones with AI cameras can check fields to see if crops are healthy or if pests are present. AI is also being used to control irrigation systems, making sure crops get the right amount of water.
AI Art and Creativity
AI can now create its own art, write poetry, and even compose music! Artists are using AI tools to brainstorm new ideas or create unique pieces of digital art.
What’s Next? The Future of AI
So, what will AI look like in the near future? Here are some predictions based on current trends:
More Human-like AI
AI will get better at understanding human emotions and responding in more thoughtful ways. This will make AI assistants even more helpful in jobs like teaching, therapy, or customer service.
AI in Everyday Life
Soon, we might see AI in more household items. Imagine a fridge that suggests recipes based on what’s inside or a washing machine that adjusts the cycle based on the type of clothes you’re washing.
AI and Virtual Reality
AI will also be a big part of virtual and augmented reality. It could help create virtual worlds that feel real or provide instant information about objects you see through smart glasses.
Conclusion
The past year has been a remarkable one for AI. And in case you haven’t guessed already, it was AI who wrote this entire piece based only on this prompt:
PurpleAmerica’s Final Word on the Subject
It’s a brave new world.