Artificial Intelligence, often abbreviated as AI, is not the scary, evil robot from all the science fiction movies. It’s simply a tool that has been around for decades. You’ve been using it most, if not all, of your life without even realizing it.

First off, what is AI? Simply put, it’s a computer or machine system that performs tasks or makes decisions that usually require human intelligence.

What are some examples of AI that we have been using for years?

How about an ATM?

1.       It determines who you are and what is your account based on the information you present (Card and PIN). A real human teller does the same thing when you hand him/her your ID.
2.       It counts out the amount of money you request. A real human teller does the same thing.
3.       It presents you with the money it has counted out. A real human teller does the same thing.

However, the ATM will do it 24/7 at locations that are nowhere near the bank. And before the ATM could do any of those things, a human had to program it with the information and instructions on how to do its job.

The GPS in your car or on your phone. It does the same thing your buddy used to do sitting in the seat next to you reading the map and telling you where to go. It just does it quicker and with fewer wrong turns. But that GPS had to be programmed, by a human, with all the data needed to guide you on your trip. AND it won’t tell you what roads to take or when to turn until you tell it where you want to go.

The voice to text function of your smartphone is an AI. It’s been programmed with lots and lots of information (by a human) so that it can understand what you are saying and then convert it into text. It’s really no different than the old Dictaphone. With the Dictaphone you spoke into a machine, and it recorded your voice. Later a person would play back that recording and type out what you said. The voice to text function is just faster and doesn’t require another person.

AI is all around us and has been around us for years and we’ve all used it.

The important thing to remember is that AI is just a TOOL. Like any other tool it just sits there waiting for us to use it. Just like a hammer will not pound in a nail until you pick it up and use it. AI doesn’t do anything by itself. AI needs a human being to tell it to do what it is programmed to do.

Just like any other tool, you must either learn to use that tool to your advantage or refuse to use it and watch the rest of the world pass you by.

Will AI eliminate some jobs? Yes, it will. Just like technological advances have been replacing human jobs for hundreds of years. But new jobs will be created as a result of AI just like new jobs have been created by every technological advance in the past.

That’s my 2 cents worth…well 4 cents adjusted for inflation.