In recent years, interest in artificial intelligence (AI) has surged. Since 2011, more and more technology companies, such as IBM, Facebook, Google, Tencent, Alibaba, etc., have made many efforts to ensure their competitive position in the field of AI. Back to 1956, when the term "artificial intelligence" was first coined at a conference at Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire, it was hard for people to imagine how AI has changed the present lives of people, just as it is hard for us to imagine the future. Nowadays, people are using the self-service check-in system since face recognition technology was rolled out in Chinese railway system. More people are driving autonomous vehicles in some big cities in China. There is no doubt that the lives in future will be changed dramatically by AI.
Some of the important concerns about the future of AI is on computer technology and software development. Many of the tech companies already begun to develop the computer to the next generation to make it more like a human's brain, which means that the computer should collect surrounding information from the world and make choices to react on the information. The scientists and engineers are rethinking "the very nature of computers and are building machines that look more like the human brain, where a central brain stem oversees the nervous system and offloads particular tasks — like hearing and seeing — to the surrounding cortex[2]."
Just as how the AI will change the computers, AI will also become a primary factor of software development. "AI is already starting to impact all aspects of the software development lifecycle, from the upfront conceptualization of the software to development, testing, deployment and ongoing maintenance[3]." AI will help the software engineers and testers to work more efficiently and more accurately. Meanwhile, engineers and testers can make better-functioned software with AI. There is a predictable future where software can even write new software by itself with the help of AI.
References:
[1] Tanya Lewis, Staff Writer, A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence, Dec 4, 2014,
https://www.livescience.com/49007-history-of-artificial-intelligence.html
[2] Cade Metz, Chips Off the Old Block: Computers Are Taking Design Cues From Human Brains, Sept. 16, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/16/technology/chips-off-the-old-block-computers-are-taking-design-cues-from-human-brains.html
[3] Alex Robbio, How Will AI Impact Software Development? Aug 31, 2017,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2017/08/31/how-will-ai-impact-software-development/#4423c746264d
Comments:
To Richard Kimball
I agree that the security problems and privacy issues will be big challenge in the AI development. As you mentioned, AI relies on analysing collected data and both the collecting and analysing process can easily be weak points for hackers. Some people would argue that is it possible that people can also develop security AI which is specially designed to deal with hackers. I have to admit that this will be very hard to achieve. Imagine the AI can even be finally developed as smart as a human brain, but how many times we are fooled and cheated with our smart brains?
To Blas Andres Rodriguez Vieira
It is quite exciting to see how much the technologies have changed the building activities. And it is exciting to imagine the benefits will be brought with BIM technology along with AI and robots. Just as the BIM helped each process in a building lifecycle, in the future, the AI maybe can also be applied in each process to ensure the quality of human's work and the quality of the building.
To Harvin Bhandal
It is an important concern that the AI will not only bring people benefits but also challenges. Nowadays, more and more people are starting to worry about themselves being replaced by AI and robots. I still remembered that when Alibaba, a technology company in China, opened the first AI operated self-service store, there are much more people complained and criticized than those who supported and felt excited. Most people worried about the safety and pravicy problems and worried about with more this kind of store opened, they would lose their jobs. I totally agree that the governments all over the world should do something to ensure the technology will be developed appropriately.
I agree with the widespread use of AI making our lives and jobs easier. It can actively assist us by serving us almost as if a human would. The technology is advancing to an alarming rate such that people are getting afraid of AI if left unregulated. At what point does AI become invasive is the question that needs to be answered.
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