They were well organized and provided detailed reporting on each stage of the work.
Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science, involves systems performing tasks in a logical order as if they were a rational, intelligent person. Artificial intelligence tries to copy the human brain, and more precisely how it perceives and interprets various stimuli. This new technology is a broad topic and includes solutions like robots imitating human behavior, autonomous cars, virtual assistants, search engines, and programs dedicated to image, voice, and face recognition.
Artificial intelligence is used in many solutions supporting a wide range of activities in many industries. Below are some examples of such AI solutions.
In the e-commerce industry, big data analysis tools are used to build sales forecasts and create recommendation systems. Programs that display product suggestions to customers operate on the basis of algorithms predicting consumer behavior. The system analyzes the properties of the most viewed products and then recommends similar items to the customer. Sales forecasting solutions, on the other hand, improve logistics and warehouse processes.
Besides recommendation systems, the e-commerce industry also uses others offered by artificial intelligence. An example is the Asos application, which searches for products based on photos. The user has to only add a photo or screenshot of the product, and the program will analyze the image and display similar-looking products available in the store's stock.
Artificial intelligence solutions are used in medicine and healthcare. Some specialized hospitals use systems to detect abnormalities in medical images. Thanks to this, the risk of misdiagnosis by doctors is minimized. AI technology is also used to analyze large amounts of clinical data.
The Chinese Xiaoyi robot was the first machine to pass the national medical exam at 76%. Initially, the robot only collected and analyzed data. Xiaoyi pointed out bad test results that did not meet the accepted norm and could indicate a possible illness. Over time, the machine has been improved to such an extent that now it draws conclusions and is able to make an accurate diagnosis. Xiaoyi supports the work of Chinese doctors and helps them identify patients' diseases and select the appropriate treatment method.
Equipment and machinery in production companies must be regularly checked and maintained to avoid failures and delays. Besides the traditional method of setting a machine inspection schedule, companies use programs examining and analyzing the condition of the equipment in real-time, as well as informing about the need for maintenance of a given device in the case of any problems.
Cameras are often used to monitor machines. Landing.ai provides a solution controlling the condition of devices with the help of extremely sensitive cameras detecting microscopic dents. The system recognizes defects, marks them, and provides information about their occurrence.
Banks are institutions of public trust, and therefore must take particular care of their data security. Some financial entities use facial-recognition software to identify customers. This form of verification is not only more convenient but also increases the security of banking services. Financial institutions increasingly often use virtual assistants who answer standard customer questions.
Some people choose the services of robo-advisors over regular financial advisors. Robo-consulting is based on asset portfolio management software. The program assesses the client's investment portfolio and investment behavior, including risk attitude and the amount of profit. Based on this information, the software makes an offer with the most profitable ways to allocate funds to diversify its portfolio. Robo-advisors can also independently manage finances and make investment changes. The FINAX platform is an example of such a solution, as it enables passive investment in ETFs.
Systems based on artificial intelligence are also used in education to accelerate and increase efficiency. So-called virtual tutors preparing students for tests and exams are popular solutions. Constant access to the "teacher" and the ability to go over study material at any time is the main advantage.
Thanks to the use of AI, the Duolingo application is one of the most popular language-learning programs which has been downloaded over 300 million times. To start learning a language, the user has to first complete a test to qualify for a course at the appropriate level. The exam starts with very simple questions. If the user answers correctly, the system asks increasingly difficult questions. As soon as the program registers incorrect answers, it returns to simpler questions. This way, the system determines the user's language proficiency level. Also, the application uses deep learning to personalize learning and optimize the learning process through frequent revision of the material. Users can talk to chatbots at any time, thanks to which they overcome their fear of speaking and improve their conversation skills.
Artificial intelligence in transport is used to build autonomous vehicles. Tesla, Ford, Honda, Mercedes, and Hyundai are engaged in the development of such cars. Besides self-driving cars, fully automated trains and trucks are being tested. Such solutions based on AI have also been used in airplanes for years. The autopilot function used during a flight in favorable conditions not only controls the plane but also controls all parameters such as pressure and flight altitude.
Solutions based on AI are also used to manage public transport. The Train Brain is a train delay prediction system. The solution monitors the traveled route in real-time and estimates delays based on the location of the queue and the time of arrival and departure from specific stations.
The two basic categories of AI, based on the ability to mimic human behavior, are weak and strong artificial intelligence.
Weak AI, also known as narrow AI, refers to systems that perform specific tasks better than humans. The solutions control processes and carry out activities correctly thanks to the previously established structure. However, they do not work consciously and do not resemble the functioning of the human brain.
Strong AI refers to a system that works in the same way as the human mind and thus outperforms humans in any intellectual task. Currently, strong artificial intelligence can only be seen in science fiction movies about robots that think, feel emotions, and make independent decisions.
Companies are increasingly willing to use solutions based on artificial intelligence because of their numerous advantages. Below are some of the most important ones.
Artificial intelligence solutions work all the time, at any time of day or night. As a result, they respond to inquiries in real-time and constantly analyze new data. In comparison with humans, AI does not get tired and does not take holidays. Also, it constantly works at the same high level and does not make errors resulting from fatigue, distraction, or superficial knowledge of the subject.
Some solutions perform activities previously done by humans. Because of this, companies usually downsize staff numbers, and as result, have lower salary costs. Bear in mind that the creation of software using artificial intelligence is very expensive. Besides, there are also expenses related to maintenance and development. Nevertheless, the investment often pays off over time.
Sales increases may result from the continuity of the offered services, for example, constant access to virtual sellers or product personalization. Algorithms used in AI solutions, based on recently searched products, offer the customer similar ones. This way, the software recommends products that should interest the customer. Recommendation systems are used primarily in the e-commerce industry to encourage customers to make larger purchases.
According to the “Artificial Intelligence Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report" by Grand View Research, there has been an increase in the use of artificial intelligence in recent years. In 2017, the value of the global AI market was over USD 16 billion, in 2018 USD 21.5 billion, and in 2019 it increased to USD 39.9 billion. This entails that solutions based on artificial intelligence are being built increasingly often. Below are the most popular frameworks used to create systems based on artificial intelligence.
TensorFlow is a framework used in machine learning and neural networks. It was created by Google for programs recognizing objects or speech. TensorFlow is also a good data visualization solution. It presents computational graphs of neural networks and also enables the implementation of calculations on one or more CPUs or graphics cards without rewriting the code.
The Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit, formerly known as Microsoft CNTK, enables creating and training deep learning algorithms. Besides similar features to Google’s solution, Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit also enables the use of multiple servers at the same time resulting in reduced machine learning time.
PyTorch is a Facebook framework for deep learning programs. The ability to create dynamic computational graphs and easily modify the network architecture is the main advantage. In addition, the solution can be easily integrated with NumPy table data.
Keras is software enabling the creation of the neural network used by TensorFlow and Theano as its backend. Unlike the solutions mentioned above, Keras is not a complete machine learning platform, but an interface facilitating the configuration of neural networks developed in any framework.
Some people mistakenly assume that AI means machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks. In fact, these are only subsets of AI.
Machine learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, is its application. A system with machine learning is provided with instructions and information, which it uses to learn and analyze data. ML is most often used to recognize objects. In the beginning, the program receives a large number of examples and then learns what a given object is and what it looks like.
Deep learning is a subset of machine learning. Its purpose is to recognize, annotate, and classify data. The system independently detects objects that it had previously learned using ML.
Artificial neural networks are created based on the human neuron and have three types of layers: input (collecting and transmitting data), hidden (using the learning process), and output (responsible for analyzing and drawing conclusions). Each neuron receives stimuli and makes its calculations. The technology is used for facial recognition, weather forecasting, and speech-to-text transcription.
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