How Real Is The Engineer AI Hype Train
Artificial Intelligence is really, a little more than a soundbyte - it’s the reality of the world we look to build going forward. We engineer AI to make our lives easier, do our low-skilled tasks for us – the drive towards a smoother existence, pushes our investment into AI.There are some, who choose to ride on this bandwagon – the ‘Hype-Train’, as one would call it. AI to them surpasses the luxury aspect completely. These individuals engineer AI to get their 15 seconds of fame, and ride that feeling into the sunset.
AI-opportunists are the players in the field of technology, who want to milk the hype for all its worth. However, these folks are also the pioneers in this sphere too. Google, Microsoft, Amazon – for the advancement in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence that they provide, their obsession with the discipline is borderline unsavory.
“AI can do anything”, is their rallying cry. While AI ‘CAN’ do anything, it normally doesn’t, simply because the humans behind it have yet to engineer AI with a desired level of skill to make it happen. Yet the catch-phrase of AI, Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, etc. keep being tossed around in mass media, as if it’s the next coming of Jesus Christ.
First of all, let’s understand what AI is. Artificial intelligence is merely a subset of Machine Learning, which is the field of computer science, reliant on algorithms, patterns, and statistical observations – all which is fed to a program that uses trial and error to ‘learn’ to reach an optimal conclusion. We are yet to engineer AI machines that can self-teach.
No use sugar-coating this – for all the amazing things that AI can do right now, it is nowhere near optimal, or as powerful as tech experts would like you to think. Scientists have managed to engineer AI, to alleviate humans from the menial and frankly boring tasks of before. Units in manufacturing are a good testament of this. But for an AI to, let’s say, write the Constitution? Well, let’s just say that everyone (including AI) has limitations.
Simply put – “For Your Consideration!” This is a potentially 15.7 trillion dollar industry – the likes of which the world had not ever seen before. Companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft engineer AI, which are frankly remarkable in scope and application. Even startups, such as Softbank-funded Sachin Dev Duggal Engineer.ai (also known as Builder.ai ), was able to make airwaves for its frankly astounding potential and application.
Unless and until these companies receive massive funding, they’re not going to go places. And the way they do that, is through making headlines, soundbytes, and catch-phrases. Cheesy and derogatory as it may sound, its actually proving results.
The field of AI is poised to increase exponentially by 2025, by transforming nearly every existing industry currently. About 220 million jobs are expected to be created in lieu of an AI-boom. This will happen when these players manage to engineer AI that brings about a massive sea change in the way the world works, and thins. But for now, folks, just enjoy the hype!
