The Future with Artificial Intelligence
According to an article in the NY Times, An Artificial Intelligence course is being offered from Stanford to some 58,000 students around the world Via web. This course, based on an Amazon cloud drive, accepts any background and has the goal to “change the world by bringing education to places that can’t be reached today.” Students receive a certificate of completion and are graded against other students using extensive technology. The immense interest in the A.I. course at Stanford shows the growing interest in the future of A.I. technology. (Markoff, 2011)
With the economy in trouble and jobs being outsourced many are in fear of the changes the US has seen. It’s not surprising when you mention A.I. technology concerning robots many are afraid their jobs will be taken over by soulless machines that require no sleep or food and perform more accurately than people. In an article by Jeff Burnstein in Business Week Titled “Robots can create jobs, Too” Burnsteirn acknowledges the devastation he has seen in Michigan where factories and plants have closed down and unemployment has soared. He acknowledges the fear and instead suggests people should fear companies that do not embrace robots or automated systems. The reason seems so logical it’s a wonder people have not latched on to it in a race to the top. Embracing the A.I. technology that performs tasks accurately and with less error can help push a company to be global, or into a stronger global presence. Instead of being focused on the US, US companies can focus on being global and entering the “flat world.” He points out that often the jobs robots are conscripted to do are more dangerous or boring, and that people can then be moved into more challenging, higher skilled and higher paid positions. General Motors had the first industrial robot worldwide in 1961, now years later the use of 1,1000 robots has allowed GM to hire back workers that were laid off. Robots are not the enemy they can help create more revenue, reduce costs, facilitate learning new skill sets, and create higher paying jobs. (Burnstein, 2010) Ultimately, embracing A.I. will allow the US to create a stronger Global presence and become a competitor in the increasingly flat world.
Language software has come a long way , voice recognition makes much more possible today. Gone are the days were you played a cassette tape and hoped you were pronouncing the words correctly, now there are applications such as Rosetta Stone that offer real time results. Programs like Rosetta stone have voice recognition software that identifies your voice the inflictions and pronunciation and allow you to correct yourself. More over this software grades you, tracks your progress and has conversations with you. The online enhancements offer a network to communicate with. With all of these options available anyone can learn to speak another language if they have the drive and desire. This ability has the potential to eliminate the barriers between different cultures, with applications such as these you can plan to learn a language before a business trip (or personal trip). You hold your future in your hands, if more and more people are speaking a language and you want to understand it, you can search out free software or pay for software applications that will teach you by immersing you in that culture. There is no substitute for face to face interaction but this software application offers a great alternative.
A.I. is progressing and as with all things will continue to grow. It is a critical mistake to fight growing technologies; instead it is best to embrace the possibilities. The field of A.I. does not look for one discipline, it looks for sociological and psychological students, I.T. students, Math and engineering students, it seeks to work cross departments to enhance every aspect of its capabilities. Technology often levels the playing field and encourages Freidman’s flattening of the world. With 58,000 students from all over the world on a class in A.I., the divide is greatly reduced opportunities are equal among all 58,000 students regardless of location or background. The induction of robots into an industry means growth for individual employees and encourages the US to move its employees into higher paying, more challenging and technologically based positions.
References:
Markoff, J. (2011, Aug 15). Virtual and artificial, but 58,000 want course. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/science/16stanford.html?_r=1&ref=artificialintelligence
Burnstein, J. (2010, June 01). Robots can create jobs, too: Industrial robots can help companies compete by boosting quality and productivity. that's ultimately a benefit for american labor . Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2010/tc20100526_198981.htm
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