The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Society | Victor Fuentes | TEDxYouth@ASFM

Summary

The speaker highlights the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in daily life, from social media filters to navigation apps. AI, once a theoretical concept, is now addressing real-world challenges like agriculture, education, and healthcare. The talk covers AI's history, its rapid development due to better sensors, data collection, and algorithms, and the potential job shifts it may bring. It stresses the need for ethical considerations, inclusivity, and adapting to technology's evolving role. The speaker encourages listeners to think about how AI can be used to positively impact the future.

Takeaways

• 🤖 AI is already part of daily life, from face filters to navigational apps.
• 💡 AI dates back to the 1950s, when Alan Turing first studied it.
• 📈 AI has evolved rapidly, achieving human-like capabilities in speech recognition and image processing.
• 📱 The increase in sensors, data storage, and powerful algorithms has accelerated AI advancements.
• 🔗 Smart machines will help manage the complexity of interconnected devices and data.
• 🛡️ Ethical concerns arise around how to ensure AI evolves safely and benefits humanity.
• 🚗 AI raises controversial issues, such as self-driving cars making life-or-death decisions.
• 📊 AI will change the job market but also create new opportunities and industries.
• 🌾 AI is already helping solve global challenges, such as improving farming yields and healthcare diagnostics.
• 👨‍🏫 Those who don't adapt to AI may be left behind, as technology will increasingly integrate into all fields.

Q & A

What is an example of AI being used in everyday life as mentioned in the script?

AI is used in social media face filters and navigational apps, which help users find the fastest routes to their destinations.

Who was the pioneer in studying artificial intelligence, and when did this happen?

Alan Turing was the pioneer in studying artificial intelligence, beginning in the early 1950s.

What significant advancements in AI occurred between 2015 and 2017?

Researchers were able to teach computers to recognize speech at the level of professional transcribers and identify patterns in images at the level of an average human.

Why has there been an explosion of interest and development in AI in recent years?

The increase in interest in AI is driven by three main factors: more sensors, increased data collection, and more powerful algorithms that help extract insights from this data.

What concerns does the speaker raise regarding the development of AI?

The speaker raises concerns about how to ensure AI evolves in ways that benefit humanity, whether developers should take an ethical oath, and how to make AI safe, reliable, and inclusive for all.

How does the speaker compare the potential impact of AI on jobs to historical events?

The speaker compares AI's potential impact to the shift in labor during the mass production of cars, which not only shifted jobs but also led to the creation of unexpected opportunities, such as personal loans and corporate logos.

What are some ways AI is helping in specific fields like agriculture, education, and healthcare?

In agriculture, AI helps farmers increase crop yields by advising on when to water or add nutrients. In education, AI helps teachers reduce school dropout rates by identifying at-risk students. In healthcare, AI aids oncologists in detecting cancer at earlier stages.

What does the speaker say about how technology will impact teaching and other professions?

The speaker quotes a professor who says, 'Teachers will not be replaced by technology, but teachers who do not use technology will be replaced by those who do,' and suggests this applies to many other professions as well.

What future job roles does the speaker suggest might be in demand as AI continues to develop?

The speaker suggests that there will be a demand for specialized roles such as data scientists, AI engineers, robotic experts, and virtual experience managers.

What is the final question the speaker poses to the audience, and why is it significant?

The final question the speaker poses is, 'How will you use AI to change our world?' This is significant because it encourages the audience to think proactively about how they can use AI for positive impact and innovation.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Embracing AI in Our Daily Lives

The speaker introduces how artificial intelligence (AI) is already a part of daily life, from face filters on social media to navigation apps. AI has been studied since the 1950s, and while it’s still developing, significant advances have been made. For example, AI systems can now recognize speech as accurately as human transcribers and identify images at a human-like level. AI's capabilities, such as voice assistants booking appointments, demonstrate how quickly disruptive technologies can evolve. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on AI’s future impact.

05:01

📈 The Accelerating Growth of AI

The rise of AI is attributed to three key factors: the increased use of sensors, the vast amounts of data collected, and more powerful algorithms that extract insights from this data. These interconnected devices enhance user experiences, but the growing complexity demands smart machines to manage these connections. The speaker addresses concerns about AI potentially turning harmful and suggests implementing mechanisms, such as developers taking a Hippocratic Oath, to ensure AI's evolution benefits humanity. Ethical and legal considerations around AI’s development and inclusivity are raised, highlighting the need for safety and reliability.

🚗 AI's Impact on Jobs and Society

AI’s effects on jobs remain uncertain, similar to when cars first revolutionized transportation. New jobs in car manufacturing emerged, and industries like banking and advertising had to adapt. AI may follow a similar trajectory, causing shifts in labor while opening opportunities in unforeseen areas. The speaker emphasizes that while AI may change the job landscape, it will likely create new roles we cannot yet imagine. This paragraph underscores AI’s potential to drive economic and societal shifts, as historical examples illustrate how technology alters industries in unexpected ways.

🌍 AI Solving Global Challenges Today

AI is already solving significant global challenges. In agriculture, AI helps farmers increase crop yields by advising when to water and fertilize. In education, it identifies at-risk students, enabling teachers to intervene. AI enhances inclusivity for the visually impaired, assists oncologists in early cancer detection, and improves life expectancy. These examples show how AI is positively impacting various sectors today. Looking ahead, the speaker suggests that as AI continues to evolve, it will play a crucial role in addressing future challenges, encouraging society to prepare for an AI-driven future.

🎓 The Future of AI and the Workforce

Quoting a professor, the speaker stresses that technology will not replace teachers, but those who fail to use it may be replaced by those who do. This concept can be applied to all professions. As AI becomes more integrated into society, there will be a demand for specialized roles like data scientists, AI engineers, and robotic experts. AI will work alongside humans in these fields. The speaker ends by asking the audience how they will use AI to shape the future, emphasizing that we are at a pivotal moment where technology can empower people to make a significant impact.

Keywords

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines. In the video, the speaker discusses how AI is already a part of daily life, such as in face filters and navigation apps. AI is also highlighted as a tool to solve major challenges like healthcare and education, emphasizing its evolving role in society.

💡Sensors

Sensors are devices that detect and respond to various inputs from the environment, such as heart rate or location data. The video mentions that the increased use of sensors in everyday devices, like smartwatches and smartphones, is one of the factors driving AI advancements. These sensors gather data, which AI systems use to improve user experiences.

💡Data

Data refers to information collected from various sources, which can be analyzed to generate insights. In the video, the speaker explains that we are collecting more data than ever before, which is crucial for the development of AI systems. Data allows AI to learn patterns and make predictions, as seen in applications like speech recognition and image processing.

💡Algorithms

Algorithms are sets of instructions that computers follow to solve problems or perform tasks. The speaker highlights that modern algorithms are more powerful than in the past, allowing AI to extract valuable insights from large amounts of data. These algorithms enable technologies like speech recognition, pattern recognition in images, and decision-making processes.

💡Disruptive Technologies

Disruptive technologies refer to innovations that significantly alter industries and societal norms. AI is portrayed as a disruptive technology in the video, with the potential to change industries, job markets, and even social interactions. Examples include AI's impact on self-driving cars and its use in healthcare to detect diseases early.

💡Self-driving Cars

Self-driving cars are autonomous vehicles that can navigate without human input, relying on AI to make real-time decisions. The video brings up self-driving cars as an example of how AI raises ethical concerns, such as how these machines should behave in life-or-death situations during accidents. The speaker uses this example to illustrate the complexity of AI ethics.

💡Moral Questions

Moral questions are ethical concerns that arise from the development and implementation of AI. The speaker addresses concerns about how we ensure that AI behaves ethically and benefits humanity. The question of whether developers should take a 'Hippocratic Oath' to ensure AI is used for good is an example of these moral questions.

💡Job Displacement

Job displacement refers to the potential loss of jobs due to automation and AI. The speaker acknowledges that AI will cause shifts in labor, possibly eliminating certain jobs while creating new opportunities in areas we may not foresee. The example of personal loans and corporate logos evolving during the rise of automobiles illustrates how unexpected job sectors may emerge.

💡Inclusive Technology

Inclusive technology refers to innovations designed to be accessible to everyone, including marginalized or disabled individuals. In the video, AI is shown to help create inclusive experiences, such as assisting people with low vision by reading documents aloud. Ensuring AI serves all members of society is a key consideration mentioned by the speaker.

💡Specialized Workforce

A specialized workforce refers to the need for skilled professionals who can manage and develop advanced technologies like AI. The video predicts that future jobs will increasingly demand expertise in fields such as data science, AI engineering, and virtual experience management. The speaker emphasizes the need for workers to adapt and collaborate with AI to remain relevant.

Highlights

Audience is already embracing AI through everyday tools like face filters and navigational apps.

AI isn't a new concept, with early research by Alan Turing in the 1950s and continued exploration of how computers learn from experience.

AI has made significant progress, such as reaching human-level speech recognition and image pattern recognition in 2015-2017.

Popular AI technologies, like face filters and digital assistants, are already integrated into our daily lives.

AI advancements are driven by the increasing use of sensors, massive data collection, and more powerful algorithms.

Smart machines are needed to manage the complex interconnections between devices, leading to better user experiences.

Ethical concerns arise as AI evolves, including how to ensure it remains beneficial and does not turn harmful.

Developers might need to take ethical oaths similar to doctors to ensure AI serves humanity.

AI's impact on jobs is still uncertain, as historical shifts like the introduction of cars led to unforeseen new opportunities.

AI is already addressing global challenges, such as improving agricultural productivity and reducing school dropout rates.

AI is helping create inclusive experiences, such as reading assistance for people with low vision and early cancer detection.

AI’s future potential includes transforming sectors like education, healthcare, and diversity with innovative solutions.

A professor in India emphasized that those who don’t embrace technology will be replaced by those who do, highlighting AI's role in future job markets.

The rise of AI will require a more specialized workforce, including data scientists, AI engineers, and robotics experts.

The speaker challenges the audience to consider how they will use AI to change the world, highlighting its transformative power.

Transcripts

[Music]

so who here likes to use face filters

for your posts on social media Envy a

show of hands who uses a navigational

app to help you find the fastest route

to your destination well congratulations

to all of you we're already embracing

the future and they're using artificial

intelligence as part of your daily lives

and for those of you that may be part of

my generation by artificial intelligence

or AI for short I will not be referring

to Skynet and the Terminator but more to

the type of artificial intelligence that

could potentially help us solve some of

our greatest challenges the truth is

that AI is not something new

it was first studied by Alan Turing in

the early 1950s and then followed up by

a team of researchers that wanted to

explore how computer systems could learn

from experience so basically how to

teach a computer to learn in the same

way that you and I learn every day and

it could be fair to say that AI is if

only it's early stages of development

but the truth is that we've already done

some very good work if we just take a

look at what we have done in just in

2015 and 17 there was a few researchers

who announced that they were able to

teach a computer to recognize speech at

the same level as a professional

transcriber and also recognize patterns

in images at the same level as a at the

same level as an average human being so

and by the way this is the technology

that we currently use today when we take

those Sophos and put on those filters

with dog ears and funny nose just last

week there was an announcement that or a

video that showed a digital assistant

that was making a phone call to a hair

salon to book an appointment and the

clerk on the other end didn't even

notice that she was talking to a machine

so we can see that disruptive

technologies can evolve quite fast and

AI will not be the exception but how

come that it is now that it seems to be

like an explosion of information around

AI or I would say is because of three

main things

the first one is because today we use

more sensors than we probably did 10

years ago the second one is that we

store and collect more data and third we

have more powerful algorithms that can

help us extract insights from this

information this we have sensors

measuring pretty much everything from

our heart rate on our smartwatches

to our location on our phones and we

decided that it would be better if all

of these devices can interconnect into

each other and if we let them talk to

each other then of course that can

generate a better user experience for

all of us well as you can see with all

the flow of information and all the

connections that get created this mesh

can get very easily and very quickly

into something very complex so we will

need smart machines that can help us

make sense out of all of it and manage

all of these connections as well

and of course when I say smart machines

this starts getting a little bit creepy

and we start getting some concerns like

how do we make sure that these machines

do not turn evil on us like which

mechanisms we need to start thinking

about to implement today so that they

evolve in benefit of human beings should

we be asking developers to take

Hippocratic oath

similar to what we do with doctors so

that they develop in benefit of human

life which changes do we need to make to

our current laws and we prepared to

adopt these changes how do we make sure

that this technology is safe and

reliable for everyone can we teach

morals to a machine we already see

controversy starting to develop just

with self-driving cars that need to make

a decision in split seconds just before

an imminent collision what should they

do then how do we make sure that this

technology is inclusive for everybody

and everyone every each every member of

society and finally one of the most

asked questions is how will a AI affect

our jobs and I'm very sorry if I'm going

to disappoint you but we will not have

all the

answers for these questions today we may

just be a little bit too early because

we don't know with certainty all the

areas in which AI will have an effect

and I will give you an example of why

this is still unknown when car started

to first be built in mass there was a

very clear shift of Labor from cars that

were being from from works that were in

in workshops that were building

carriages to new jobs that were more

focused on manufacturing but there was

another effect people wanted to buy cars

and they needed money so banks realized

that there was an opportunity for them

to create a new financial instrument

which was a personal loan so more

branches started opening up in the in

the country and therefore more jobs were

created but even more so there was

impact in other areas that were

unexpected for example now people were

travelling at higher speeds and

traditional advertising was becoming or

the traditional billboards were becoming

obsolete so companies needed to find new

ways in which they could do some

marketing so if companies could or users

could still identify which brand was

being advertised and that is when the

corporate logos appeared so I guess what

I'm trying to say is that of course AI

will cause a shift in in labour but it

will open up opportunities in areas that

are still that maybe we don't even

imagine yet

and this may sound a little bit

futuristic to all of us but the truth is

that AI is already here is already

changing the ways in which we do many of

our activities and is actually helping

us solve some of our greatest challenges

for example in terms of scarcity of food

in the world it is helping farmers

increase the yield of their land by

telling them when to water or when to

add more nutrients to their crops in

education is helping teachers reduce our

schools reduce the rate of school

dropouts by identifying behaviors in

students and patterns that so that then

teachers can take corrective action and

help these students at risk stay

involved in

diversity and inclusion it is helping

create more inclusive experiences for

people with low vision capabilities by

creating and developing applications

that can read out loud and identify

which paper built somewhat someone is

holding or the content of the of a legal

document that they are about to sign in

healthcare it is helping or aiding

oncologists to identify cancer at

earlier stages increasing the life

expectancy of patients and these are

only a few examples of how AI is helping

us today but just imagine how it can

help us in the future with the

challenges that are still to come

there's a and with because we need to

think about how we will adapt to all of

these changes their support by by a

famous or a well-known professor in

India that says teachers will not be

replaced by technology but teachers who

do not use technology will be replaced

by those who do and we could very easily

change teaching with any other activity

and this quote would still be true we

need to think about and prepare to those

changes and be able to coexist and work

together with technology because in the

future we will need there will be an

increase of demand for more specialized

workforce like data scientists or

virtual experience managers aai

engineers robotic experts you name it an

AI will be standing side by side to all

of those activities we are standing at

the pivotal point in time in which

technology is empowering all of us to

make a difference my final question to

you here today is how will you use AI to

change our world

[Applause]