Demystifying artificial intelligence: Answering your questions about AI and software development

Artificial intelligence is one of the major ingredients of the fourth industrial revolution we are currently experiencing. It is a futuristic technology that has already begun to develop and, therefore, is surrounded by great myths and questions. From DIGIO, we seek to resolve some of the most outstanding ones:

Big questions about artificial intelligence today

Today, we are already living with an abundance of AI applications and functionalities. Any change generates controversy, misgivings and suspicions. Clearing up doubts is very important when we talk about the present and the future.

What is artificial intelligence?

It is an interdisciplinary research field that tries to create intelligent computer programs. The aim is to make machines capable of performing specific human functions.

Among other possibilities, the aim is for them to be able to speak, think, learn by themselves, interpret reality, create and feel just like humans.

Mathematics, linguistics, programming, psychology and computer science are the main scientific activities that interact within it.

What is machine learning?

It is a major item for the development of artificial intelligence. It consists in giving machines the ability to learn in the same way as people. That is to say, from experience, lessons learned and acquired knowledge; in an autonomous way and managing to identify patterns and act accordingly.

What uses of AI are we currently living with?

Among the latest additions of reference with which you are interacting are the Cognitive Services or Azure AI Services of the Azure platform, which have the latest capabilities of ChatGPT and LLaMA v2 AI's for private environments. Their role is to converse, create readable text on demand and develop content in the form of digital books auto-generated by the devices.

In addition, you are already accustomed to using AI applications such as:

• Voice assistants, such as Siri, Alexa or Google's.
• Chatbots of some websites that serve you 24/7.
• Medical techniques based on computer vision to classify images and detect health problems.
• Driving support systems and autonomous vehicles.
• Smart homes and home automation services.
• Multiple functionalities of smartphones.
• Social network monitoring and algorithms.
• Product searches and targeted advertising in online stores.
• Management and use of large volumes of information in big data.
• GPS and other monitoring systems.

How is this technology changing us?

We are in a transition stage. We are adapting to coexist and take advantage of the contributions of this technology. Machines are learning to learn from their experience and already perform specifically human actions today.

People are getting used to these innovations and are increasingly trusting them. However, there are still certain misgivings about what this technological paradigm shift may bring. At the same time, there is still pending legislation.

Basically, we are accommodating ourselves and handing over to machines some of the activities that until now corresponded exclusively to humans.

What are the main advantages of AI today?

Certainly, we are already benefiting from many positive consequences:

• Automation of processes and thus more speed and diligence.
• Streamlining of decision making.
• Boosting and developing creativity. You can leave monotonous processes to the machines and focus on the nitty-gritty.
• Increased rigor and precision. Machines, rationally and objectively, make fewer mistakes.
• Focus by humans on other value-added activities avoiding repetitive tasks.

The future of AI

The present is being positive and quite satisfactory: the new inputs simplify your life, reduce your work and are beneficial. However, more doubtful is the question of how far this technology can go. Could machines come to dominate us if we allow them to learn on their own?

Can machines overtake humans?

This is a controversial question. It is often posed from the point of view of intelligence: will they become smarter than us? In some of their specific domains, it could happen. However, the human brain performs in a marvelous way and interrelates different knowledge.

As far as surpassing human beings, it will do so in the performance of some activities, but never in terms of dignity, sensitivity or humanity.

What are the ethical risks of machines that feel and think like humans?

Art and its creators have often flirted with this possibility, especially cinema, television and literature. Mainly, there are two important aspects that will have to be resolved as soon as possible:

• The replacement of humans. If machines are more operative, efficient and valuable than people in certain jobs, will we be left over? It is not so much what we will do when machines work for us, but what role humanity will play.
• The ethics of machines: Is it possible to teach ethics or good principles to these machines? Who decides which ones they should follow: their programmers? There is an urgent need to reach international agreements and to translate them into universal legislation.

Will artificial intelligence make us happier?

Technology is neither good nor bad in itself; it all depends on how we use it. Thus, a knife is wonderful when we cut food with it to distribute it among the needy. And terrible if we use it to hurt or kill others. The same is true of AI. Each person will have to learn to incorporate it into their existence, and it will be an individual, subjective matter how happy they are with it.

When working with these technologies, at DIGIO we always give superlative importance to the human factor. Faced with the existing challenges, the main challenge is to evolve digitally without losing human empathy. The human being is the key, the raison d'être and the essence of AI, which must always be at its service.

DIGIO and the development of Artificial Intelligence

At DIGIO, we always prioritize the importance and prominence of the human factor in the world of software development; and even more so when it comes to an AI project. Our approach focuses on evolving digitally without losing human empathy. We develop to solve real human problems.

Thanks to our journey, we have had the opportunity to pioneer the development of AI-based solutions. We have developed a variety of AI solutions from sound recognition, occupancy detection using BLE and Wifi fingerprinting of devices, to machine vision on video or images, license plate and face detection, problem detection from monitoring or anomalous data, among many other cases.

We have experience integrating various natural language processing systems to create conversational interfaces, including, among others, Microsoft LUIS (Natural language Recognition) and Google NLR.

Our developers have tested different code assistants, including Github Copilot or Tabnine professional, while we are developing professional use cases for Azure ChatGPT 3.5 with various use cases and the latest Meta LLaMA v2 AI technology.

One of our main success cases is Paroli (https://www.paroli.es/) A powerful corporate messaging application equipped with AI for 'chatbots'. It was a great technological challenge, as it was to build a corporate instant messaging application, from which a team of managers could manage customers and users. The platform can be used to create channels managed by both people and chatbots, making it a powerful corporate communication tool.

CONCLUSION

Artificial intelligence is a technology that is transforming our society and generating important questions and myths. As we move forward in this era of the fourth industrial revolution, it is crucial to demystify AI and understand its real potential and the many functionalities we are already using today.

While AI offers many advantages, such as automating processes, streamlining decision-making and boosting creativity, it also raises ethical challenges and concerns. There is a fear that machines may surpass humans in certain tasks, but it is important to remember that dignity, sentience and humanity remain unique characteristics of humans; thus not easily replicable.

The ethical risks of machines that think and "feel" like humans must be urgently addressed, including the replacement of humans in certain jobs and the need to establish ethical principles for machines. 

At DIGIO, we advocate and work on the premise that it is essential that AI be at the service of people and that national and international agreements be established under universal legislation to guide its ethical development. Ultimately, the human being remains the key and the essence of artificial intelligence.

If you still have questions or would like to discuss your situation in more detail with professionals who can guide you in your projects for the use of AI, the entire DIGIO team is at your disposal. Reach out to us at info@digio.es / javier.juncadella@digio.es

(PS: By the way, no AI technology was used to write this post. It was 100% made by DIGIO's human team!)