Artificial Intelligence
and Its Evolution
Written by: Callista Gandha

The Covid-19 pandemic has made such a huge impact on every industry in the world, especially on the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), taking over the world by storm. In fact, just in the span of a couple of years, millions of jobs have been automated and even more people are needed to reskill and change careers. Additionally, not only has the pandemic affected AI development which leads to a change in employment, but it has also changed the business and education industry in so many ways.

 

But first, what is AI? AI is the ability of a machine to perform tasks that are associated with intelligent beings, as to mimic human cognitive activity. Simply put, AI enables computers to think and act like humans. The principle behind it is that AI reads human behaviour in a way that a machine can easily imitate it to perform human-like tasks, from the most simple to the most complex ones.

 

In October 2020, the World Economic Forum concluded that while AI would likely take away 85 million jobs globally by 2025, it would also generate 97 million new jobs in fields ranging from big data and machine learning to information security and digital marketing. Furthermore, with the advancement of AI occurring, it will be no surprise that soon enough millions of jobs will be automated, shifting from labour to capital in workforces, particularly jobs that do not require as much skill, such as drivers, security guards, servers, and receptionists. However, some jobs are not likely to be replaced by AI. These are typically jobs that require high emotional intelligence or specialized expertise, such as nurses, therapists, lawyers, and doctors. This is due to the fact that although AI can process information way faster than humans can, humans have the ability to comprehend complex emotions and apply imagination or intuition when handling tasks.

 

Not only has AI affected jobs since the pandemic, but it has also transformed the business industry. AI is generally acknowledged to be an engine of productivity and growth, causing the potential to boost the efficiency of business operations. AI can assist in answering queries, increasing the accuracy and precision of operations, and identifying and resolving operational bottlenecks such as call centres using chatbots to compensate for the lack of staff during lockdowns.

 

In addition, the use of AI for education, such as Chat GPT, has been globally popular among students. It can understand students' learning styles and provide a personalized learning experience. However, this may not always be beneficial since students have begun to take advantage of it due to its flexibility and may become overly reliant on AI for answers, thus resulting in a decrease in their academic performance.

 

In conclusion, the AI revolution is here and it has impacted the world in so many different ways and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated its adoption. It is transforming nearly every industry and companies must prepare to adapt to this inevitable change. While technological advancements present challenges and opportunities, the AI revolution will also create more jobs we cannot imagine for now. Adaptability is key in facing this evolution. We need to be open to constant change, embrace new technologies, and continuously learn to stay ahead of the curve.