Artificial Intelligence

For Better or Worse

by Jim Bates

Welcome to my second try! I inadvertently mixed up articles and authors. My apologies to you Jim Bates and Tim Law.

Enjoy!

Artificial Intelligence For Better or Worse

by Jim Bates

In all candor, there was a time in my adult life when I vowed NEVER to use a computer. “Why should I?” I asked myself. A pencil, pen, and paper are just fine. I can use the library for research. “Don’t need one,” I kept telling myself.

Then, the company I worked for began introducing computers to its sales force, technicians, and branch offices. My development team wrote the manuals and did the training. Guess what? I converted. Now I have not one but two laptops on which to do my work, plus a smartphone and tablet. Welcome to Jim in the electronic age.

So, what’s the deal with Artificial Intelligence (hereafter referred to as AI)?I went online to see what I could learn. First, here’s a good definition:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. It encompasses a wide range of technologies that enable machines to simulate human cognitive functions, including perception, reasoning, and language understanding.

I like that definition primarily because I can understand it!

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Simulation of Human Intelligence: 

AI aims to create systems that can mimic human-like intelligence, enabling them to perform tasks that traditionally require human cognitive abilities. 

Learning and Adaptation:  

A key aspect of AI is its ability to learn from data and experience, improving its performance over time without explicit programming for every task.  

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:  

AI systems are designed to analyze information, identify patterns, and make decisions based on the data they are trained on. 

I personally found all of three of the above main points above interesting. The first one, kind of scary, but I’m not sure I can put into words why. The second and third ones are interesting, especially from a problem-solving standpoint, which, since I like science, I think can be beneficial if used correctly. (Which is a big IF!)

But I digress. AI is already being used, of course. Here are some ways:

Voice assistants: Siri, Alexa 

Chatbots: Customer service interactions 

Recommendation systems: Suggesting products or content 

Self-driving cars: Utilizing computer vision and other AI techniques 

Medical diagnosis: Analyzing medical images and data 

Content creation: Generating text, images, and other media 

I really like that AI is being used in medical diagnosis. I think that’s cool. It can certainly be another useful tool for the medical profession’s toolbox.

So, AI is around. Maybe it’s time for another definition. Here’s one:

Artificial intelligence is a field of science concerned with building computers and machines that can reason, learn, and act in such a way that would normally require human intelligence or that involves data whose scale exceeds what humans can analyze.

Again, interesting. Again, kind of scary.

Here’s what Musk says: “The overarching goal is to create an Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that can perform any intellectual task that a human can but with the added benefits of computational speed and scalability.”

Yikes!

Here’s another way Artificial Intelligence can be looked at. This makes sense to me: Artificial intelligence offers numerous benefits like increased efficiency, automation, and improved decision-making, but it also presents challenges such as job displacement, ethical concerns, and the potential for misuse. 

Here are some of the Pros of AI:

Increased Efficiency and Productivity: AI can automate repetitive tasks, process large amounts of data quickly, and perform complex calculations, leading to increased efficiency and productivity in various fields. 

Reduced Human Error: AI systems can be programmed to follow specific rules and procedures, minimizing the potential for human error in tasks like data entry, quality control, and medical diagnosis. 

24/7 Availability and Continuous Operations: Unlike humans, AI systems can operate around the clock without needing breaks or rest, enabling continuous operations and faster response times. 

 Improved Decision-Making: AI can analyze vast datasets and identify patterns that humans might miss, leading to more informed and accurate decisions in areas like finance, healthcare, and marketing. 

Personalized Experiences: AI can analyze user data and preferences to provide personalized recommendations, content, and services, enhancing customer experiences. 

New Insights and Discoveries: AI can be used to analyze scientific data, identify patterns, and generate new hypotheses, potentially leading to breakthroughs in various fields. 

All of the over pros I can see the benefits of.

Here are some of the Cons of AI:

Job Displacement: Automation of tasks traditionally performed by humans could lead to job losses in various sectors, requiring workforce retraining and adaptation. 

Ethical Concerns: AI systems can inherit biases from their training data, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes. There are also concerns about accountability, transparency, and the potential for misuse of AI technology.  

Data Dependency and Security Risks: AI systems rely on large amounts of data, raising concerns about data privacy, security breaches, and the potential for misuse of personal information.  

Lack of Human Intuition and Emotional Intelligence: AI systems lack the ability to understand and respond to human emotions, which can be crucial in certain situations, like customer service or healthcare. 

Dependence on Technology: Over-reliance on AI systems can lead to a decline in human critical thinking and problem-solving skills.  

High Implementation Costs: Developing and deploying AI systems can be expensive, especially for smaller organizations or in certain industries.  

Unpredictable Outcomes: AI systems can sometimes produce unexpected or unintended results, especially when dealing with complex or ambiguous situations.

The Cons are significant. Big time! Especially the first five. They are probably why I’m having a tough time jumping on the AI bandwagon.

I found this summary, which I think is appropriate: “The future of Artificial Intelligence is expected to be transformative, impacting various aspects of life, from the economy and work to healthcare and daily routines. While AI offers immense potential for progress and efficiency, it also presents challenges and ethical considerations that society needs to address.” 

Really! I couldn’t agree more.

In conclusion, in my opinion, we need to stay vigilant when it comes to how AI is used now and how it’s going to be used in our society/world in the future. Very vigilant. Because no matter what our feelings are, it’s here to stay.

Final thought: I could have used my AI prompt to write this entire article. I didn’t. Even if it would have saved time, I did it the old-fashioned way. Research. Plus, I’ll bet the AI prompt would have skewed the text toward the positive aspects of AI, LOL!

I did, however, use my prompt to write a six-line poem entitled “Lingering Light.” I’m including the AI poem and my original poem by the same name below. Try to guess the AI one.

Lingering Light #1

Lingering light at the close of day, 

Paints the sky in golden ballet. 

Fading hues in a soft embrace, 

Echoes of warmth in a fleeting space. 

As shadows stretch and softly sigh, 

The world breathes deep, bidding night goodbye. 

Lingering Light #2

Birds singing gaily in colorful trees

Fall treading softly through sun shining bright

Yet the feeling of imminent change harkens hidden

In the days shrinking shorter in lingering light

A flower blooms in the garden a gift there to find

Left to grow forever in memory in this grateful mind.

Finally, thank you, Elaine, for the opportunity to write about Artificial Intelligence and the challenges we face going forward with it in our lives. I learned a lot and hope you all did too. It’s a challenging world we live in. I’m going to try to be diligent, get the facts, and take it a step at a time.

Oh, my poem was #2. I actually thought #1 was really good, but I’m going to stick with fumbling along and writing on my own poems and stories with no AI prompts. Call me “Old Fashioned!” I don’t mind 😊