Five ways AI is augmenting our lives

Five ways AI is augmenting our lives

AI and robotics are going to create almost 60 million more jobs globally, that’s according to a new report from the World Economic Forum. The Swiss think tank released its Future of Jobs report to put facts behind the much-debated topic of AI and job displacement.

As part of the move to this pervasive AI future, the report noted that there would be an increased demand for data analysts and software developers, in addition to roles which require human traits such as teachers.

But while we’re still a long way off AI taking over in workplaces, here’s some of our favorite examples of AI augmenting the world around us:

1. Make pizza

We bet if you saw shrimp and jam pizza on the menu you’d think there was some sort of mad pizza scientist in the kitchen. If you did, you wouldn’t be far from the truth, as a new project from a group of MIT students has seen a pizzeria in Boston make pizzas using recipes developed by an AI algorithm. After making up ingredients which didn’t exist (wale walnut dressing anyone?), the algorithm churned out a request for shrimp, sausage and jam which was apparently surprisingly tasty.

2. Make you a dance master

Want to show off amazing dance moves to your friends but don’t have any actual dancing skills? This is the AI for you! A team of researchers from UC Berkeley have created AI software which can copy the moves made by professional dancers and transpose them onto an image of a new person to create a new video of them dancing in a surprisingly realistic fashion.

3. Spot your broken bones

Medical imaging revolutionised healthcare when it was first introduced, and now the field is going through a revolution of its own with the introduction of AI. The very nature of deep learning makes it a master of pattern recognition, so spotting broken bones, cancer tumors and pneumonia from chest x-rays, are a natural fit for this technology. Whilst AI isn’t going to eradicate the role of radiologists any time soon, it is having a big impact on delivering faster, earlier diagnosis in a critical medical field.

4. Root out counterfeit goods

From Rolex watches and Dior handbags to car parts and pharmaceuticals, counterfeit items that would have once been found for sale in a back alley are now sitting pride of place on the internet. For any brand counterfeit products are bad for business, and after many years of trying to tackle it many organisations are now choosing to use AI to spot fakes

5. Help defend your business from cyber criminals

Arguably one of the most beneficial uses of AI for businesses is in the fight against cyber-crime. Thanks to its incredible pattern recognition ability, AI is spotting new malware and unusual network behavior faster and more accurately than traditional threat intelligence teams.