There is such a thing called the Internet of Things (IoT). It basically merges the digital and physical universe together. The IoT refers to the billions of physical devices out there, such as cars, phones or washing machines, that are connected to the internet! They all connect and share data online. This has only become possible since the arrival of very cheap computer chips and wireless networking that have jumped out in recent years, enabling tiny objects like computer chips or bigger objects like aeroplanes to become a part of the IoT family. Through their connection, AI technology is made possible to be used within these devices.

Modern AI does not need precisely moderated operating rules from humans. It is capable of learning and developing rules on its own! This is where the computer starts to think for itself. For example, if you give a modern AI computer many pictures of different types of dogs to make the computer learn and understand their characteristics, then whenever it sees a dog thereafter it will be able to instantly recognize it for what it is. Now this concept is used in all facets of the AI/ technological world. This is a characteristic modern AI shares with humans. You had no one explain to you what a dog looks like. You simply saw many, learnt it was a dog and remembered that as a fact. Modern AI incorporates pattern recognition and mimics how people learn.

Nowadays, many people around the world possess digital assistants, such as the Apple HomePod, Apple Siri, Google Home and Amazon Alexa to name a few.

These are commonly used for interactions such as:

• Internet searches,
• Scheduling,
• Message dictation,
• Media playback.

These digital assistants are based on machine learning technology which is broadly described as a subcategory of AI. They use historical data to develop and get better at being able to predict and understand our “natural language questions and requests”.Another example is Nest, a learning thermostat acquired by Google. Nest uses algorithms to learn from your heating and cooling preferences. Based on this information it is able to adjust the temperature in your home according to your predicted personal needs. And, how often do we do web searches? Let’s face it… every day! Yes, most people have been using search engines since the 1990s, but Artificial Intelligence in modern day and age has improved this massively. The autocomplete function of modern search engines predicts what you are looking for when beginning to type something into the search box and automatically tries to complete your request. The predicted words are of course not a coincidence. The search engine learns from your historical behaviour and, together with other influencing factors, makes predictions about what you might be looking for.

Additionally, modern AI creates ranking algorithms in these search engines. This simply means that it ranks those websites to be at the top of the results which it thinks you are the most interested in.

Another major platform that has increased drastically in size and popularity is indeed the online shopping market. It has, as we all know, become MASSIVE. If you have ever shopped online, there is a great chance that Modern AI has played a role in your experience! If you’ve seen an ad on Facebook for a product you’ve been searching for, you can be quite assured that it was AI which generated these happenings. With its constantly refined algorithms, it understands your interests and predicts almost everything you desire or need. Some online shops even plan to start the shipment of products to us before we have even ordered them, predicting that the order will be made very soon.

And what about customer support? The chatbots, operated mostly by robots, use behavioural adaption to improve their emotional intelligence to increase customer relationships and retention.

One more interesting point to look at is that of the recent happenings in 5G – the quickest form of internet connection humanity has ever had at its disposal. 5G with its incredible speed, will help improve systems of AI which need a greater internet connection. Here is a list of some items 5G is well, and will be well used for in AI systems:

• Autonomous cars,
• Smart Cities,
• The Internet of Things technology,
• Communication and collaboration.

The future of 5G is one we will shortly see and behold. It is indeed going to be something quite like out of a movie!

Of course, we do not only get in contact with Artificial Intelligence in our personal lives. In the business world, companies for example start to use AI to support them finding the best talent. Algorithms analyse potential candidates based on huge data sets from multiple enterprises and publicly available data sources to reduce manual work and increase productivity. This is being done by focusing more on evidence-based decision-making by still including human experience and by respecting diversity aspects. That AI already has a huge impact on our lives can also be seen with the current pandemic we are all affected by, COVID-19. Companies are leveraging big data and AI to monitor cases, predict future outbreaks, encode the virus genome, develop vaccines within months instead of years or even decades, and help manage the supply chains to deploy the vaccines globally. These are just a few cases of how Artificial Intelligence is supporting us in the fight against corona, but there is so much more to learn about. So yes, ladies and gentlemen, from the Internet of Things, which really makes up a huge portion of our daily lives, all the way to online shopping and the present upgrades into a realm of ultra-fast internet connection, we are certainly heading into a very technological, fast-developing future. I do indeed believe that huge change will take place in the technological world of Artificial Intelligence, as it already is and has been doing in recent times. It will remain vital to stay in touch with the changes in Artificial Intelligence and the technical realm it will lead us into! It is vital to stay tuned and informed so as not to fall behind with the world. So, buckle up, and let’s have a sneak peek into the future…