Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, recently announced he plans to build a basic AI assistant. "My personal challenge for 2016 is to build a simple AI -- like Jarvis from Iron Man -- to help run my home and help me with work," he wrote in a post.
J.A.R.V.I.S. of the Marvel films stands for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System, and it connects to Iron Man’s technology systems at home and in his superhero suit. So, if Zuckerberg is using AI to simplify his life and work, is that where we’re all headed? Let’s take a look at the many opportunities that already exist to apply AI.
If we look at where technologies are now, most of our “smart” technologies are simply control programming rather than true examples of AI. At home and at work, we adjust or turn on or off appliances or equipment remotely or through saved settings.
We control lights, cameras, shades, speakers, room climate and more in the same way. We program technology to know when it should shut off, when it should send data, and when it should wipe data.
Motion detectors can sense when someone is in a room and make adjustments for occupancy and even make adjustments based on past usage.
Technologies are moving from simple programming and algorithms to true artificial intelligence that is distinguished by recognition, learning, logic, decision-making and problem-solving. Many engineers consider the recent win of a software program over a human at the game of “Go” as a turning point for artificial intelligence.
Many of our clients are surprised to learn what they can already do with new meeting room technology. In addition to controlling the features of the room, some equipment can report back to you on the room usage, equipment usage, and data on specific users. It can also make adjustments based on environmental cues or usage information.
Fortunately, control technologies are easing us into the day when we partner with AI in all of our work. Devices like Amazon's Alexa have won over shoppers for the convenience that it brings to the home.
Over the 2017 holiday season, TechCrunch reported that Amazon sold "millions" of devices, making the season Amazon's "best-ever, in terms of Amazon devices sold."
As more technologies like Alexa and Google Home emerge and become integrated into the home and work environment, artificial intelligence will likely play an integral part of day-to-day tasks -- at least, when it comes to increasing efficiency and taking monotonous tasks off of your plate.
