With the arrival of the new year, LinkedIn has published its annual Emerging Jobs Report for 2020. The career touted as number one is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which showed an impressive 74% annual hiring growth rate over the past four years. While it may seem like something out of your favorite sci-fi movie, AI is a quickly growing branch of computer science that has already started to infiltrate our daily lives.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence refers to the ability of machines, computers, and robots to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence to complete. AI is an innovative, interdisciplinary field within the broader umbrella of computer science. Artificial intelligence programs machines through the use of algorithms, constraints, representations, and loops. AI research has typically centered on four key aspects of intelligence:
- Learning
- Reasoning
- Problem-solving
- Perception
- Language
Machine learning can occur through trial and error, as well as through generalization. “Narrow” AI, which is usually focused on the high-quality performance of one particular task, is far more limited than basic human intelligence. These machines are able to draw both deductive and inductive inferences, but such reasoning is limited by how well machines are able to determine the relevance of these inferences to a particular situation.
On the other hand, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), or “strong” intelligence, aims to build machines that think and that can apply human-like intelligence to solve any problem. AGI is the type of artificial intelligence you see represented in many futuristic films and tv shows. The ultimate objective of AGI is to build a machine with intelligence that is indistinguishable from human intelligence.
What are some applications of AI?
Chances are you’ve already come across or interacted with artificial intelligence many times in your regular day-to-day routine. Smart assistants, like Siri and Alexa, are powered by AI. Artificial intelligence is being used in manufacturing and drone robots. You may have encountered AI by interacting with a marketing and customer service conversational bot. Social media platforms utilize AI to monitor dangerous content and false news. Even your email’s spam filters are powered by AI.
Implementing AI in healthcare settings offers vast potential in terms of innovation and efficiency. In fact, AI is already being put to good use in disease mapping and prediction tools, as well as in proactive, personalized healthcare treatment and recommendations. Artificial intelligence also allows for automated financial investing. Even more exciting is the advent of AI enabled self-driving cars.
What are some of the industries using AI?
Computer Science
Internet
Information Technology & Services
Higher Education
Consumer Electronics
Robotics
Healthcare
Finance
Travel & Transportation
Marketing
How has AI impacted students and education?
Schools and educators are beginning to embrace artificial intelligence inside and outside of the classroom. Personalized, crowd-sourced tutoring and individualized lessons allow students to move at their pace. AI software can be used to convert complex texts by simplifying sentence structure, and improved access to data and performance feedback helps educators to identify learning differences and disabilities. AI enables learning to take place anytime, anywhere. The flexibility and efficiency that artificial intelligence provides to the learning process improves accessibility and affordability of education worldwide. The possibilities of AI are virtually endless.