Are we afraid of AI? Nah, not really!
It was only a matter of time before we threw in our 10 cents worth on AI. And here it is.
Artificial intelligence has made great strides in recent years, and it has begun to impact many industries, including our own. We at Banter are always looking at ways to make these technological advances work for us, not against us.
At first, we were afraid of the ripple effect it would have on our industry. The unknown of what AI really is and the unknown of what it can do. But, over time, extensive research, a few hefty office debates and many late night discussions we became less afraid of AI and more intrigued as to the potential positive impact it would have on our business.
So I ask you; are you afraid of AI?
Are you making use of AI everyday?
You may not know it or realise it, but you are using AI already. Its just not been called that before the AI “Gold Rush.” You may be more familiar with words like; algorithms, bots and automation.
Consider these few simple scenarios and let’s see if you can identify with any of them:
- You wake up and go to gym and a put on a playlist that Spotify or Tidal has suggested to you based on your mood or listening history
- You get ready for work and check in on Google Maps to get to your meeting on time and avoid the congested routes.
- After the meeting you quickly search Google or Yelp and they recommend the perfect stop for a quick coffee and a bite to eat.
- While on lunch, you engage with chat bots on social media and websites to find a new supplier or house hold gadget you saw online.
- You check your watch, which has just notified you that you have been sitting for too long (how did it know that?) and notice you are late for your next meeting. You ask Siri to send a message to your colleague letting them know you are on the way. You do this while you are paying the bill and gathering your things.
- On route to your meeting, you realise you need to do some quick research, so you call on Siri again via Bluetooth) as its easy for you to dictate questions, searches and basic commands while you can concentrate on driving.
- After a busy, but successful day at work, you head home and on route, book tickets to a new event using your phone. An event you read about from an advert you saw on your social feed because you went to a similar event a few weeks back.
- You call on Alexa (I had to give her some airtime) to find a recipe online for dinner and recite it while you get the ingredients prepped. “Oh and play that new playlist from this morning – it was the bomb.”
- After dinner, you sit back, relax and watch a new Netflix series based on recommendations and your viewing history.
- Then, if you are still awake, you end the day (sometimes) with some shopping on Amazon Prime or Takealot, checking out your exclusive product recommendations and offers.
After reading that, I will ask you again, “Who’s afraid of AI?” You’re clearly using it every day, all day, already!
“It’s clear that AI is everywhere. It’s used for dynamic pricing, social media feeds, grammar edits, fraud detection, personalized recommendations, spam filters, online search, and so much more. We interact with countless AI models every day without even realizing it.
As we embrace these advancements it’s important to try and be aware of how AI is being used around us — continue to ask questions, be mindful of its impact, and work together to create a future where AI is used responsibly and ethically.” – Darren Adendorff – Senior Technical Recruiter, USA
We all fear change, but with change comes opportunities and with opportunities, the world is yours for the taking.
Get in touch with Banter today and see how we can assist you with your digital transformation.