Examples and Uses of AI
Video Games
You may not know this consciously but there is some form of AI being used in the video games you play (especially if you are a big time gamer). The FIFA, NBA 2K, Call of duty etc that you play that involves playing against computer as an opponent or enemy uses AI. The “computer” in Games has become smarter these days and difficulty levels are even harder. Now computer opponents are capable of learning your playing behaviour and reacting to it in unpredictable ways.
Virtual personal assistants
There are now virtual personal assistants like Siri on Apple, Android phone’s Google Now and Window’s Cortana that interact with users and provide useful information through advanced search algorithms. They take voice commands and are able to keep schedules and give reminders through its memory. Daily use of these assistant gives them a chance to learn more about its user’s preferences and dislikes through collection of data. They can then recommend things their user will like or advice them against things they will not like. An example where virtual personal assistants can be used is when the user asks “What’s the closest distance to 37 hospital?” The AI will quickly prepare a route for its user to use with an estimated time to get there.
Smart cars/Self Driving cars
You might have seen movies or cartoons with self driving or smart cars, did you know that they do really exist? A few big companies have invested in this technology and have already put out a few cars that use AI to drive themselves. Tesla (autopilot), Google, BMW, and Mercedes Benz have all been testing self driving cars over the past few years and are close to releasing them into the market.
Smart Houses
Some houses have been fit in with or built with smart devices that help them perform tasks. These devices learn their owner’s behaviour and work to suit them. The AI can control lights (turning them on in the evening and off before bed), they can control music (when to play music and what type of music to play), they can adjust the temperature of a room if the house has a thermostat and also recognize any visitors outside and inform you before they ring the bell. Some AI can prepare food in the oven or even turn the oven on for you before you get home from work. Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerburg recently showed an AI named JARVIS he had been working; it can play music, turn off the lights and toast bread among other things.
Recommending Music and Movies
As we mentioned before, AI are smart and usually learn their owner’s interests and preferences. A few services that offer Music and Movies/TV show subscriptions like Spotify or Netflix use learning algorithms to monitor your past choices in music and movies and then recommend similar choices to you when you are looking for something new.
