“AI is probably the most important thing humanity has ever worked on.” – Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai.
“With Artificial Intelligence, we are summoning the demon.” – Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, Inc.
We can divide the entire global population into two halves – one supporting AI and the second half voting for its demerits. Ever since AI emerged, people have come up with many advantages and disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence.
While humanity enjoys AI’s benefits, its demerits consistently cast a haunting spell. Everyone must explore both sides of AI and understand whether the technology is a boon or a bane. If you are new to AI or wish to build a career in the domain, it’s the best starting point for your journey. Marketers can benefits from it to improve search results.
This article is all about such a discussion. Here we will dive deep into an introduction to AI and its use cases. Furthermore, it will explain why AI can be beneficial or hazardous.
Before proceeding with your BS or MS in Artificial Intelligence, let’s clarify our doubts.
Artificial Intelligence at a Glance
Artificial intelligence is perceived as the simulation of human intelligence in devices trained to act and think like people. It is a subfield of computer science concerned with creating machines that can carry out operations like speech recognition, language translation, intelligent automation, and judgment.
Some AI Use Cases
Before reviewing the article, let’s review the top AI use cases. Artificial intelligence has many practical uses, some of which are as follows:
- Gaming
AI is used to develop strategic games like chess. In such games, the machine is programmed to generate moves, analyze those of the opposition, and choose the next move to be made.
- Speech Recognition
Our cell phones and home appliances have AI-based voice assistants and speech recognition technology. Specific computer programs and devices like Google Home, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri can understand human speech and respond accordingly by picking up on the accent, grammar, etc.
- Handwriting Recognition
Engineers rely significantly on Artificial Intelligence to create handwriting recognition systems for various applications. The handwriting Text Recognition system embedded in relevant machines allows it to identify and read handwriting. Hence, it can quickly transform writing into editable text.
- Automation
AI enables businesses to reduce operating expenses and increase efficiency for repetitive processes like report generation and mortgage processing. Also, AI-powered chatbots significantly impact ROI, making them one of the banking sector’s most often-used AI applications.
These chatbots successfully do everyday activities like checking balances or reading statements, which lessens the workload for call centers and online banking.
- Robotics
Robots’ building, design, and programming are the focus of the scientific and engineering fields of robotics. Robots are the most advanced and intricate AI-based inventions made by humans to date.
Robots are equipped to handle a variety of challenging activities. Since they can multitask and save tremendous time, they are effective at what they do. Also, they can adapt to their environment and have a lot of memory space.
There is a discussion regarding whether AI is a blessing or a curse as it has become mainstream. There are some reasons why AI could be a boon and a bane simultaneously. Let’s unravel some of these reasons.
Factors that prove AI to be a Boon
AI is a powerhouse of benefits. These advantages can significantly enhance our quality of living by simplifying our tasks and exposing us to luxury. Many reasons support that AI must be treated as a boon for humanity.
Let’s review some of these points below!
- Simplifying Complex Tasks
It takes time for a human to do tiresome tasks. AI algorithms, in a short span, perform complex jobs. Robots work more quickly than people and can complete numerous jobs at once.
- Easily Available
Machines can work for extended periods and do not need to rest like humans. They can complete assignments, work continually, and deliver high-quality, error-free results.
- Virtual Assistants
Less staff is needed because virtual assistants can communicate with many users. Machines behave more logically and efficiently, making better decisions because they lack emotions.
- AI in Daily Life
A smartphone is currently the device we use almost daily, leading to consciously and unconsciously employing AI.
The speech recognition system in our smartphones’ search engines, GPS for navigation, and fingerprint and face recognition systems for security are just a few instances of how AI is employed in our daily lives.
Why Can AI be a Bane?
Most resources, documents, and references give you a perspective of AI being a boon. However, we should know that every coin has two sides. Indeed, AI has several advantages, but some of its characteristics are demerits.
Here you’ll get a better overview:
- Lack of Experience
Humans, who lack experience, rely on their past performance and act appropriately in the future.
The algorithm designed for a machine’s operation determines how it will behave. The distinction between robots and humans is that they do not respond to their surroundings.
- Unemployment
In today’s global economy, there is rising anxiety over whether AI will entirely replace human occupations. It would cause a severe decline in mental capacity, affecting creativity and originality. Businesses are implementing AI-based technologies to replace human work and increasing our dependence on robots to increase productivity.
- Associates High Cost
Productivity increases and practical results are attained with AI, but significant expenditures are involved in the process because robots are highly complex and challenging to train. Also, machines need frequent maintenance at a certain point, increasing the expense.
The Bottom Line
Future developments in AI will impact how we live. Let’s admit that AI benefits and drawbacks exist. It has the ingredients to support either a merit or a demerit. As we discover more AI applications, several disadvantages will surface, requiring our attention to prevent drastic impacts. Whether it will be a blessing or a curse is still debated, with some people supporting its merits and others warning us about its disadvantages. Future events will reveal if it turns out to be beneficial or detrimental.
