Question: how can ai help

Carl Peter Robinson answered on 22 Jan 2024:

That’s an interesting question because it highlights the fact that we should be asking in what areas and aspects of our lives should we be applying AI tools and systems such that we gain some kind of benefit from their being used in these ways? We don’t want to throw AI into absolutely everything just because we can. That would be lazy, non-beneficial, and mainly be the employ of those looking to make some fast cash.

In terms of helping, there are so many areas and aspects of life that AI tools and systems can help us. I will pick a few here:

1. Healthcare: AI can be employed to help doctors diagnose patient data for signs of potential
illnesses such as cancer and diabetes. It can also be applied in assistive-robotic surgery where a surgeon uses specialist robotic equipment to perform difficult surgeries. There was even a recent study that indicated an AI system had a better bedside manner than some actual doctors, so perhaps it’s a two-way street in that sense: we can learn from AI too!

2. The environment: Imagine AI systems that could help monitor and analyse the state and health of our oceans, our forests, and other areas of nature. This is particularly useful for the many areas under threat due to climate change or human self-interest (e.g., over-fishing, deforestation). We could use such systems to help us make decisions on how to act on the results we are given, applying new strategies and methods to overcome potential problems these AI systems flag up for us.

3. Research and discovery: AI systems could help analyse heaps of research papers in order to summarise current knowledge, experiments, successes, and failures, in order to help scientists and researchers with their work. Specific systems might even be used to perform many, many experiments much quicker than humans can, and in this way speed up discovery of potential new drugs for medicinal purposes, or molecules that could help break down plastics even more effectively.

As long as there is enough data available for a specific problem or task, an AI system could well be applied in an effective means. It’s knowing what you want out of using such a system that matters. We have to ask, “What is my expectation?”

Finally, while AI systems can certainly help, it will be down to we humans to actually go ahead and both a) make those systems to help us; and b) follow through on the results they give us. Ultimately, we will have to help ourselves.

What ways would you like to see AI help in our world? Maybe one day you could add to that list of helpful AI systems!