Artificial intelligence plays a large role in healthcare, automotive, gaming, finance, etc. fields to gather data, interpret data, and produce results through a series of algorithms. This article will mainly focus on the application of AI to web functionality and the benefits that comes with its use.
Artificial intelligence has developed into a large field in the present due to its fast advancements in the past few years as technology continue to evolve. Artificial intelligence is the computer's ability to replicate aspects of human cognitive abilities. Unacknowledged by many, artificial intelligence is more than just advanced robots capable of performing regular human tasks or engaging in a conversation.
Artificial Intelligence Branches
There are 6 core branches of artificial intelligence: machine learning, neural networks, robotics, expert systems, fuzzy logic, and natural language processing.
Machine Learning (ML)
Machine learning is one of the more popular aspects of artificial intelligence frequently used in most AI products that require learning about certain behavior and producing an output. Machine learning allows AI to learn rather than being programmed to do an exact set of actions repetitively initiated by certain commands. This is efficient and beneficial for computers to be able to advance at their own pace, faster than human developers are capable of improving them. Machines are able to practice problem-solving in a real-world scenario by picking up new knowledge and reassessing data. Machine learning uses machine learning algorithms to help provide accurate estimates and predictions based on associated patterns.
There are three different types of machine learning: supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning. Supervised learning depends on experts to provide algorithms for them to produce a result. Unsupervised learning already includes algorithms that automatically analyze data and make their own inferences based on repeated observations. Reinforcement learning is programmed to decide between two choices or sets of actions.
Neural Network
A neural network replicates the human thought process, specifically focusing on the neural sense of the brain. Neural network AI thinks similarly to how humans would think. They are typically used to think like humans and determine specific behavior through algorithms. Neural network AI is applied to fraud detection, risk analysis, etc.
Neural networks are adaptive to the internet and identify suspicious online activity categories based on patterns of legitimate behavior. In terms of fraud detection, neural networks AI adapt to how a normal transaction works and is able to make out instances when a system processes the transaction differently. Neural networks make observations and make correct decisions at a really fast pace, to keep up with the speed of internet activity.
Robotics
Robotics is a field that many are familiar with. Robotics is responsible for programming and designing machines to complete certain physical human-like tasks. Robotic AI is typically designed to replicate human behavior to replace humans completing dangerous and risky tasks. Robotics is combined with several different AI branches that allow robots to have their own mindset.
Expert Systems
Expert systems are computer systems that make decisions based on existing knowledge present in their system. By analyzing the knowledge of facts and reason logic stored in their system, AI systems make the most efficient and reasonable decisions with high execution and response rates.
Fuzzy Logic
Fuzzy logic is a method to decide the relevancy and accuracy of uncertain data by calculating or considering the possibility of it being correct. This is made by trying to find a reason to persuade the thinking process that an action is good or bad. Fuzzy logic is applied to machine learning as a form of replicating human behavior, to learn from mistakes.
Natural Language Processing (NPL)
Natural language processing helps create a bridge between the barrier between computer language and human language. With this ability, computers are able to process the definition behind a set of phrases or sentences in a human language to their basic understanding composed of binary numbers. NPL helps with analyzing, understanding, and deriving necessary information for human counterparts. It helps improve the accuracy of analyzing documents such as search engines searching for relevant information on the Web.
AI Applications on the Web
AI is used in many parts of the web. Some of which include assistant support applications, chatbots, and digital marketing for websites.
Digital Assistant Applications
Artificial intelligence help make web searches faster and more efficient for its consumers. Voice-based search engines use AIs to assist with immediate fact searching in necessary conditions. For example, Google Assistant and Siri, which responds to user commands such as searching the internet or setting certain functions, require natural language processing and machine learning functions among other aspects of AI to function. Natural language processing helps the machine comprehend what the user is requesting. AIs use machine learning to adapt to the behavior pattern of the consumer or make relevant suggestions.
Chatbots
Many interactive websites owned by companies that service individuals include chatbots that improve user experience through active interaction and assistance. Chatbots are conversational artificial intelligence machines that replicate human conversation behavior with NPL and ML. Chatbots are able to support customers in finding the correct assistance department and communicate in the place of workers to answer common questions relating to anything in a certain topic. Users are more likely to get the assistance and one-on-one immediate attention they need to get the necessary information when visiting websites. With Chatbots, businesses can save at most 30% of customer support costs and place funding into more important business operations.
Chatbots perform user request analysis to determine the relevancy to the user inquiry and filter unnecessary information from a huge database of information. When the chatbots identify the user’s intention, they provide a response that will share resources or accurately redirect customers to the correct help assistant.
Digital Marketing
AI is able to assist in customized user experiences on websites. AI uses machine learning to track human behavior, interests, and search patterns. Websites are able to learn from customer data to accommodate the websites to appeal to the user. Deciding the types of advertisements that appear on users’ devices is a great example of its practice. Computers are able to take advantage of the data collected from cookies to analyze the user’s likes, dislikes, and shopping behaviors. Many online stores also take advantage of AI to gain user interest in the company or persuade them to purchase products that fit their personalities. Customers having a customized experience motivates them to explore more of the website and make purchases that are tailored to their needs.
Search engines and websites use assistant technologies like AdSense to make accommodations for consumers. Websites and applications analyze recorded data based on the actions that users make on digital devices, which creates a digital track for users to understand preferences. Applications such as Facebook record pages the user has liked, posts, and recent searches to associate their consumers with cohorts that share similar interests or identify demographics shared with the application. Then, they will assign the proper promotional advertisements associated with the cohort group.
Potential Dangers of Improving AI
Amongst skeptics of artificial intelligence, there have also been countless warnings from renowned individuals involved in the development of the technology for fear of what may happen with AI in the future. The major concern is the possibility of AI becoming a source of chaos for our future. In a seminar, Stephen Hawking shared his urgency for AI to be strictly managed through ethical means as well. In the case that one computer is able to reprogram themselves to program tasks with their own will, other computers will be able to adapt to this behavior as well. Under the risk that a computer is able to do so, computers would have their own mindset and will to fight for their self-preservation.
A more present risk is artificial intelligence being a major cause of unemployment. As more automated machines learn to complete human tasks, humans with these tasks will be pushed aside for many reasons; simplicity of the job and removing socioeconomic inequality in regular work systems. According to builtin.com, 36 million jobs are at risk of being automated in the future. As a result, there would be competition for existing jobs from the human perspective and no reliable workforce to replace AIs in the case that AI machines would malfunction. Lower-wage employment jobs may soon become nonexistent and individuals with not much prior education will be heavily disadvantaged.
AI is designed to assist humans but many forget that AI technology can be used for the good and the bad. Advancing AI technology to combat issues will only strengthen technology that the AI is built to prohibit. Many individuals are able to use AI maliciously to hack any form of security system that we believe will keep up safe. For example, facial recognition technology may improve security, but this gives harmful AI the ability to find a method to break this system by replicating similar features to break into secured systems. In addition, deep-fake technology used to replicate human voices is already used to manipulate systems and create problems for reputable individuals. This technology is capable of replicating anyone but there is no way to constant regulate the use of these AI programs.
There may also be problems with our financial systems already being regulated by AI technology. For instance, Wall Street is a perfect example of a system that heavily relies on algorithms, and in the case of problems arising, would cause a major financial crisis in all markets around the world. These systems use algorithmic trading, system trading through computers to avoid the human judgment that regulates high-value transactions. Algorithmic High-Frequency Trading can make or break the entire financial marketing system within seconds due to the rate of transactions it makes per the same period of time.
From My Perspective: Nicole Huang
AI will become associated with every technological device in our future. They can become reliable and unbiased sources of information that can process immediate needs. However, this does not indicate that AI should be left unmanaged. AI and its abilities should not be left ignored. In a similar way, individuals should be cautious and learn to not depend on AI more than we already do. Considering how AI manages basically tasks that allow us to function and use in our daily lives, it is time to tone it down. There should be restrictions on the type of tasks that AIs should not be allowed to do. If not, societies need to take responsibility and form an agreement on how heavily we should rely on tech to complete our tasks.
Sources
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https://techemergent.com/fields-of-ai/
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https://www.expert.ai/blog/chatbot/
https://www.howtogeek.com/730581/what-are-personalized-ads-and-how-do-they-work/
https://marutitech.com/machine-learning-fraud-detection/
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