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The AI revolution is in full effect. Robotics and AI are no longer confined to dystopian fiction, instead chatbots and AI systems are influencing our daily lives, often without us even realising. This slow but sure take up of technology has bettered the lives of many yet there remain many unknown dangers. The perception of AI by many citizens globally is negative, with a common fear that, much like science fiction, the robots will ‘take over the world’. Despite low levels of trust in AI by citizens, use of this technology will only grow. Here are five examples of AI use by citizens in their daily life:
1) Navigation – AI algorithms optimise routes on apps such as Google Maps or Uber so that real-time traffic data and predicted arrival times can guide you to take the best route or match with the most appropriate driver. In Arizona, uber has even partnered with the autonomous car company Waymo and has started providing the option for customers to travel in a driverless car.
2) Home Virtual Assistants – Home assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant are powered by AI and have become a staple in many homes. They help the humans of the house by responding to voice commands providing information such as the weather forecast, setting reminders, adding to shopping lists amongst many other features. These virtual companions have become integrated into the daily lives of many citizens, offering a helping hand to organise an often stressful, fast paced modern life.
3) Smart Agriculture – AI technologies have revolutionised farming practices to improve crop yields and optimise resource use. This means that AI has now become part of the journey that brings us the food we eat every day! AI-powered drones and sensors monitor soil conditions, crop health, and weather patterns, enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions about irrigation, fertilisation, and pest control. By harnessing AI farmers can increase productivity, reduce the negative impact of farming on the environment and ensure better food security.
4) Fraud Detection in Banking – Banks and financial institutions leverage AI algorithms to detect fraudulent activities and protect customers’ accounts from unauthorised transactions. By analysing transaction patterns, user behaviour, and other data points, AI can identify suspicious activities in real-time and alert both customers and financial institutions. This helps banks to mitigate the risk of fraud and ensures the security of financial transactions, improving the service for customers.
5) Social Media Algorithms – Social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter have harnessed the power of AI to tailor users feed to their personal interests. Algorithms analyse the online behaviour patterns of users including what you like, comment on and share. A personalised feed is then produced based on your user history for example friend suggestions, news article recommendations or displaying targeted adverts. Whilst this personalisation of social media comes with many risks, for example perpetuating bias from which disinformation can spread, there is scope to argue that this benefits the lives of users as they can connect with people they know and easily access and develop their interests.
These examples highlight a fraction of how AI has permeated into our everyday lives, influencing how we work, communicate, and even eat. However, with the benefits of this technology come concerns about privacy, bias, ethics, and trust. This is where THEMIS 5.0 steps in. THEMIS is an innovative EU funded project that aims to enhance trust in AI systems by promoting transparency, fairness and accountability in AI aided decision making. By fostering a collaborative dialogue between developers, users and policymakers, THEMIS aims to improve trust in AI systems across a range of sectors, eventually becoming part of users and beneficiaries’ everyday life.
As AI continues to evolve and integrate into our lives, its essential to stay informed and engaged. Understanding how AI impacts us on a daily basis both personally and through projects such as THEMIS, the full potential of AI technology can be harnessed, making positive changes to the way we live our lives.
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