Artificial Intelligence: Boon or Bane?

We are living in the age of scientific and technological breakthroughs. Everything around us is evolving fast. Every day a new technology is introduced and gets outdated in a very short span of time. You must have heard the term Artificial Intelligence very often. It has become a hot topic for discussion these days. You can hear notable personalities talking or writing about it. Have you ever wondered what Artificial Intelligence is all about?

In a layman's term, Artificial intelligence means the ability of a machine or a computer program to think and learn. It makes the computer smarter by making them work on their own, without being encoded with commands. You can also call it a machine or a computer's ability to mimic the cognitive power of human beings.

Examples of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence has been integrated into various types of technology. Some of the important examples are:

Robotics

This field focuses on the design and manufacturing of robots. Robots normally perform tasks that are considered difficult for a human being. Robots are used for moving large objects in the space by NASA and are also used in assembly lines by the car manufacturing companies.

Automation

Automation makes a process or a system function automatically. For instance, you can program RPA or robotic process automation to perform repeatable and high volume tasks that humans normally perform.

Machine Vision

It is the science of enabling computers to see. In this technology, a camera captures and analyzes visual information. Machine Vision is often compared with human eyesight. The difference is that machines are programmed for the ability to see. It is used for various things such as medical image analysis and signature identification.

Current Scenario of Artificial Intelligence

In the current scenario, Artificial Intelligence can be seen in most of the industries such as :

• Automobiles

• Machinery

• Industrial Processes

• Boilers

• Telephone Networks

• Aircraft

• Steering

It reduces the human intervention and in some of the cases, turns the processes completely automated. The smartphones we use, have Artificial Intelligence powered assistants such as Siri, Bixby, Alexa or Google Assistant.

Pros of Artificial Intelligence

Following are some of the pros of Artificial Intelligence:

• Reduces Error - It helps us in reducing errors and reach higher levels of accuracy. Artificial Intelligence enables the machine to breakdown complicated mathematical concepts for practical application faster and more accurate.

• Saves Time - Artificial Intelligence saves us a lot of time in accomplishing the repetitive tasks. These tasks are performed more accurately and in less time. Human workers can utilize the time for a more creative and important aspect of their responsibilities. 

• Increases Productivity - It increases productivity. For example, if you compose a mail and the misspelled word gets automatically corrected. It saves your time and you can utilize your time on other important works.

Cons of Artificial Intelligence

Following are some of the cons of Artificial Intelligence:

• A Threat to Employment - It makes the processes automated and reduces the need for human intervention. It ultimately results in the loss of jobs. There is a decline in jobs all over the world due to Artificial Intelligence.

• Increases Inequality - Artificial Intelligence reduces the human intervention. It makes the rich get richer because they won't have to pay salaries to labor and other benefits. It will ultimately concentrate the wealth in the hands of the few people.

• Misuse of Data - Artificial Intelligence collects sensitive information such as access to text messages, pictures, contact lists, emails, etc. It can be troublesome for us if someone gets access to the data.

There is no doubt that Artificial Intelligence has simplified our lives in many ways and can do even better if utilized in the right manner. However, it poses numerous other threats. It is up to us how we use it.