Bridging Generations with Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a topic that has garnered a huge amount of attention over the last couple of years, and for good reason. The rapid advancements in AI technology are transforming many aspects of our lives, from how we communicate, with voice dictation and face recognition, all the way up to how we solve complex problems.
It’s Not All Bad
The media tends to revel in presenting a more upsetting vision of AI, amplifying public fear and skepticism about the future implications of this technology. As a result, taking their queue from the media, many people without being fully aware of how the technology actually works or what good it can do, express negativity about AI, driven by fears and concerns regarding its rapid development and a belief in its inherent malevolence. A common worry is the potential for job displacement, as AI systems become capable of performing tasks traditionally done by humans, including those requiring creativity and empathy. Additionally, there are concerns about privacy and data security, as AI systems often require vast amounts of personal data to function effectively. The potential misuse of AI for malicious purposes, such as creating deepfakes or automating cyber-attacks, also fuels apprehension. And it’s right that we keep a degree of critical thought. All the same, it’s not all bad. There is much to be excited about, not least of which are the very concrete and useful applications in our daily lives, even for retirees. In this post, we’ll delve into the evolving landscape of AI, some specific and valuable ways to use the tech, and its potential impact on our future.
A Journey Through the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence
The journey of AI, and its precipitous rise to the top of the tech heap, is nothing short of stunning. AI has evolved — if not catapulted — from simple “if this, then that” algorithms to massively complex systems, involving neural networks and deep learning. These advancements have led to the development of AI that can perform tasks with increasing sophistication and accuracy, such as natural language processing, visual recognition, and text-to-voice.
The Small Ways that AI Improves our Lives
AI is already integrated into our daily lives, often without us realizing it. From smart replies in our email to predictive text on our phones, AI is subtly enhancing our routines. The goal is to demystify AI and present it in a way that is both accessible and inspiring. Many of us are already using AI, sometimes unknowingly, and understanding its capabilities can help us leverage it more effectively. Reality is that AI is going to be a bigger and bigger part of our lives, especially at work, but also in our daily lives. Here are some examples of how AI can be helpful in our daily lives:
- You need to write a thank you letter but are not feeling inspired (e.g. you didn’t actually have such a great time!). Write a prompt in your preferred generative AI application, such as Perplexity (my favourite these days, link with a referral) or GPT-4o, using your language. For example: Please write a thank you note to XYZ for hosting a lunch. Even though I didn’t enjoy the food, I saw that XYZ made an effort and the table decoration was attractive enough. The result is politely truthfully. What do you think?
- Say, you’re not that creative, but you’d still like to write a poem of congratulations for a recent feat. Try the following prompt (filling in with your specifics): Please write a poem that is 12 lines long, using an ABBA rhyming scheme for your friend, XYZ on her recent winning of the award, The Best Person of the Year 2024. Write about how impressed you’ve been in seeing XYZ progress, how she’s been fully of positive energy and an inspiration in the community. Write in the style of Wordsworth, using a degree of humour. Finish by avowing that the poem was created by Artificial Intelligence, but that you’re sure she’d be impressed. The result is quite fetching I think. But what about you?
- You have always had the desire to write a memoir but never knew where to start. Plus you don’t think you write well. Let’s head to Perplexity and uploading four digitized photos you own that have some kind of theme, and that have been relabelled with names, perhaps the location and date, ask your genAI to write a prompt. Here is the one I wrote: Tell me a story based on the attached images. Write as if it’s a memoir with Papa being in the first person singular. Convert “Myself” and “me” to Minter (son of Papa). Here’s the result. Thoughts?
These are just a few ideas to get the juices flowing.
The Positive Impact of AI Futher Afield
AI has the potential to have a significant positive impact on society. Studies have shown [source Nature] that 71% of AI applications have a positive impact, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. On this note, I just finished (in French), an interesting book on Green AI, by Gilles Babinet, looking at how AI may be able (or not) to help solve climate change. AI is making a difference in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability. For example, AI can help diagnose diseases more accurately, personalize education, and optimize energy use.
The Human-AI Collaboration
As shown in the examples above, you’ll need some thought to write a good prompt. You’ll no doubt want to try several prompts and then you can ask the genAI to make adjustments or corrections as you see fit. Human-AI collaboration is going to be crucial for maximizing the benefits of AI. While there are some natural fears and skepticism surrounding AI, it’s important to maintain a balanced perspective. AI, when used responsibly, can augment human capabilities and lead to innovative solutions to complex problems. Practical examples of AI assistance in busines abound, such as generating useful content, scanning and transcribing handwritten notes, or summarizing complex documents.
The Future of AI
The future of AI is bright, with rapid advancements and increasing accessibility of AI tools like Open AI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and the privately held (for now) Jasper. Staying informed and adapting to these changes is essential, especially for those in professions that may be impacted by AI. AI is here to stay, and it is up to us to harness its potential for good. It might be worth signing up for There’s an AI for That site, that has catalogued the huge number of specialised AI applications. At time of writing, the site has nearly 13,000 apps in its database.
Conclusion
The exploration of artificial intelligence reveals a landscape filled with both opportunities and challenges. Embracing AI with a positive yet cautious mindset allows us to recognize both its capabilities and its limitations. As we navigate this rapidly evolving field, understanding and leveraging AI can lead to significant advancements in our personal and professional lives.
Stay tuned for more insights and updates on the latest trends and innovations shaping our world. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our blog and join us on this journey of discovery and learning.
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DISCLAIMER: To begin this article, I used a new AI system, flowsend.ai, in order to transcribe and then provide a synopsis for a speech I made on the same subject. The final article I own and for which take full responsibility.
