So much has been written about artificial intelligence, or AI since its birth around 60 years ago. Recently, conversations about AI started to take a negative turn, including a UN statement warning humanity about all the evils of AI. We are at pivotal moment in history where we need to believe in science and judge innovative based on objectivity.
Since human beings create AI algorithms there has been cases where AI reflected biases, such as in the case of US prisoners’ probation recommendation cases. However, in the case of AI, this means that this is not the time to panic and judge AI as evil, rather this is the time for keeping an open mind to understand its definition, Large Language Models potential and impact.
What is artificial intelligence?
A simple way to define this genius human innovation is that it is systems that enable machines to gather, clean, analyse and predict information in a way that resembles natural human or animal intelligence, hence the name artificial intelligence. This is the cumulative result of years of developing computer programmes that learn, for example, from our ability to see (computer vision) or use language (natural language processing-NLP) or similar natural abilities. AI has been making our lives easier for years, whether in our phones ability to search, and to predict words when we are texting, or in all sorts of cameras and lenses that identify people and objects in our roads or buildings, and more significantly in medicine where we are able to develop remedies much more faster that our ancestors because of AI’s ability to process large amount materials’ data used by the pharmaceuticals industry.
LLM
2023 will go down in history as the AI game-changer year. Open AI’s ChatGPT democratised made it possible for anyone of us who can text to making use of huge amount of data, known as Large Language Models or LLM, to get answers that we need. ChatGPT enabled us to go beyond “searching” to obtaining synthesised and updated written feedback and reports based on all what the internet can offer.
Impact
Thinking that we can slow down innovations such as AI is like thinking that we can slow down time, and time slows down for no one. We have the opportunity today to augment what intelligence can create for us to achieve food security, a healthier life and a lifestyle that brings more contentedness. I believe that the most significant step we can take today is establish algorithmic Justice initiatives that ensure that the basic fabric of AI which as algorithms are doing no harm, and oversee the development of responsible AI codes of conduct in all aspects of life.
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