5 Ways Artificial Intelligence Will Change the World by 2050
FROM SMARTPHONES to
chatbots, artificial intelligence is already ubiquitous in our digital lives.
You just might not know it yet. The momentum behind AI is building, thanks in
part to the massive amounts of data that computers can gather about our likes,
our purchases and our movements every day. And specialists in artificial
intelligence research use all that data to train machines how to learn and
predict what we want—or detest.
Take a look at the
future that AI has in store, according to USC researchers.
ENTERTAINMENT
Move over, Netflix.
In the future, you could sit on the couch and order up a custom movie featuring
virtual actors of your choice. Meanwhile, film studios may have a future
without flops: Sophisticated predictive programs will analyze a film script’s
storyline and forecast its box office potential.
MEDICINE
Why have medicine
that’s good for the average person, when it could be tailored to your exact
genome? AI algorithms will enable doctors and hospitals to better analyze data
and customize their health care to the genes, environment and lifestyle of each
patient. From diagnosing brain tumors to deciding which cancer treatment will
work best for an individual, AI will drive the personalized medicine
revolution.
CYBERSECURITY
There were about
707 million cybersecurity breaches in 2015, and 554 million in the first half
of 2016 alone. Companies are struggling to stay one step ahead of hackers. USC
experts say the self-learning and automation capabilities enabled by AI can
protect data more systematically and affordably, keeping people safer from
terrorism or even smaller-scale identity theft. AI-based tools look for
patterns associated with malicious computer viruses and programs before they
can steal massive amounts of information or cause havoc.
VITAL TASKS
AI assistants will
help older people stay independent and live in their own homes longer. AI tools
will keep nutritious food available, safely reach objects on high shelves, and
monitor movement in a senior’s home. The tools could mow lawns, keep windows
washed and even help with bathing and hygiene. Many other jobs that are
repetitive and physical are perfect for AI-based tools. But the AI-assisted
work may be even more critical in dangerous fields like mining, firefighting,
clearing mines and handling radioactive materials.
TRANSPORTATION
The place where AI may have the biggest impact
in the near future is self-driving cars. Unlike humans, AI drivers never look
down at the radio, put on mascara or argue with their kids in the backseat.
Thanks to Google, autonomous cars are already here, but watch for them to be
ubiquitous by 2030. Driverless trains already rule the rails in European
cities, and Boeing is building an autonomous jetliner (pilots are still
required to put info into the system).