The Future of Artificial Intelligence: What Is The Impact of AI In The Future?

Artificial Intelligence, commonly abbreviated as AI, is the ability of mechanised tools and softwares to mimic and execute tasks and behaviours that require intelligence. Thus, in a way, AI can be seen as the simulation of human intelligence in machines, robots and softwares. AI has not only been a transformational force for the digital realm and industry, but has also impacted innumerous other industries and aspects of human life in considerable ways. 

However, with the growing popularity of AI features and tools and their rising application in diverse areas of operations, important considerations have been raised and evaluated about the future of artificial intelligence in the world. So, is artificial intelligence a passing fad that would lose its sheen with the passage of time, or is it a technology of immense potential to be reckoned with? 

In this blog, we have delved into how the future of artificial intelligence would look like, both for the human world and for the technology and IT industry, along with certain important ethical and pragmatic concerns that have been raised by thinkers, scholars and tech experts about AI’s future. Continue reading to explore more!

The Evolution of AI: Growth of Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial intelligence technologies as we know them today are marked by a history of creation of technologies, starting off with cybernetics, followed by expert technologies that can mimic human expertise, neural networks, machine learning, deep learning and so on. Here is a brief overview of the timeline of the evolution of AI technologies as we know them today. 

• Works by Alan Turing-The genesis of the technology of artificial intelligence is long marked, almost a century ago, with notions of machines that mimic human intelligence as proposed by Alan Turing, Claude Shannon, Norbert Wiener etc. The foremost works that can be traced to AI as it is known today include the early works in cybernetics and neural networks. Alan Turing was among the first computer scientists to propose the idea of computer softwares that can effectively mimic human responses and patterns, as was seen in the “Turing Test”. 
• Coining of the term “Artificial Intelligence” -The term “artificial intelligence” was coined by John McCarthy in 1956 in the Dartmouth Conference arranged by McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester, and Claude Shannon. This conference marked the major turning point in the development and conceptualisation of AI technologies as it is known today. 
• Early Research Related to AI -The very initial stages of development of  AI technologies during the 1960s to 1970s pertain to the creation of early natural language processing models (ELIZA as created by Weizenbaum), works pertaining to mobile robotics (Shakey as created by Stanford Research Institute) etc. This period was also accompanied by criticisms and discourses surrounding the direction of AI research, the utility of AI features and so on. 
• Dawn of Expert AI Systems -During the 1980s to 1990s, there was a marked uprise in creation of machines and softwares that could mimic the decision-making and problem-solving skills of human experts in specific domains such as in games of chess (as exhibited by IBM's Deep Thought), crucial decision-making etc. This era marked the path for AI’s expansion as the expectations of scientists from AI and its capabilities exceeded the existing breakthroughs of the field. 
• Machine Learning Advancements- The 1990s and 2000s were marked by the growth of machine learning technologies, development of statistical models for AI tools and softwares and creation of smart ML softwares like AI-enabled chess experts, support vectors, neural networks etc. 
•  Deep Learning Technologies- The dawn of deep learning in artificial intelligence technologies was marked by advancements related to deep convolutional neural networks, natural language processing, image recognition, reinforcement learning etc. This is the period of 2010s, during which deep learning technologies along with advancements in machine learning, cybernetics etc. together led to the diversification of the field. 
•  Modern AI -Modern technologies integrated with artificial intelligence have marked the dawn of features of responsible AI, general AI systems (which are more advanced than narrow AI technologies), diversified application of AI in industries like customer service, transport, cyber-vigilance etc. 

The journey of evolution of AI up until now has been marked by great advancements and strides, and the development of AI technologies in the future is yet another potential arena to explore, with its impact on various industries needing to be assessed carefully. 

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Crucial Industries 

Herein, we have given a few crucial impacts that AI can have on various important industries in the immediate and longer future. 

1)  Impact of AI on Medical and Healthcare Industries 

Artificial intelligence technologies, in tandem with database management systems are already being used on a widespread basis in management of medical and healthcare-related data, effective scheduling of medical events, appointments, health supervision and reminder systems etc. 

In the future, it is estimated that AI can impact the medical and healthcare industries in terms of futuristic AI-enabled nursing assistants, advanced disease diagnosis systems, faster drug discovery and so on, making the medical and healthcare industries more efficient, saving operational costs and reducing the scope of human errors in the practice of medicine. 

2.) Impact of AI on Educational Sector 

Currently, AI-enabled technologies are already being utilised in the educational and learning industries in the form of smart classes, AI-enabled chatbots that provide assistance to students, AI-enabled linguistic tools and learning platforms in the form of e-tutors. 

The future impact that AI technologies can have in the educational sector can be more focused upon efficient, accurate and expert assistance to students and instructors on an individualised basis. Certain hypothesised examples of the same can include smart AI-enabled teachers and tutors for students, individualised learning assistants, emotion-detection technologies that can gauge students’ emotions in a curriculum, use of AI for creating digital ebooks and so on. 

3.) Impact of AI on Transportation Industries 

The scope of contribution by AI to the transportation and travel industry is vast but underexplored. Currently, the industry is not utilising any major AI-enabled feature or technology for the efficiency of the field, other than smart-GPS services. However, not only can AI-enabled technologies be used on a managerial basis in the industry (for instance for smart–DBMS transportation systems, for scheduling various drives and streamlining routes with traffic updates etc.) but has also been envisioned as driving the creation of autopilot vehicles including self-driving cars and automated trains. While the realisation of such groundbreaking advancements as self-driving cars, connected vehicles etc. seem to be a milestone requiring more time to achieve, the near future of AI applications in transportation are also quite appealing for the enhancement of the field. 

4.) Impact of AI on Media and Communication 

The advancements in automation and smart analysis that AI has brought about in the current decade has had immense impact on media and journalism sectors. Currently, not only are journalism houses utilising AI technologies to run financial analysis, draw quick and efficient insights from detailed media reports and so on, they are also utilising AI technologies for automated writing, effective language translation, enhanced searches and so on. 

The future of AI in journalism can be marked by more advanced AI tools for specific and effective media writing, newsroom automation, automation of operations in journalism and mass communication and so on. However, many ethical considerations about the potential for misuse of AI in journalism and media communication have been raised, presenting an important ethical dilemma to resolve in this regard.

5.) Impact of AI on Manufacturing and FMCG Industries 

The role of AI technologies in manufacturing and FMCG sectors is quite pronounced and well-identified. For instance, it is well-known that automation has significantly reduced the need for manual labour and increased the safety provisions in place brought about by such AI-assisted machineries and devices. A large number of industries in the manufacturing domain have utilised robot arms, AI-run machineries and automated industrial robots to run operations like stacking, assembly etc. for increased efficiency and safety of workers. 

The future also holds tremendous further potential for integrating AI technologies in the manufacturing sector in terms of AI-enabled management, smart assistants for overseeing the running of various machineries as well as enhanced data-keeping and data management including using DBMS etc. 

6.) Impact of AI on Customer Service Industries 

The impact of artificially intelligent technologies are already quite pronounced in the customer service industry. While mostly these technologies are being utilised for automated calling, further advanced usage can be in terms of data analytical softwares for drawing customer insights from data reports. The usage of AI chatbots, AI-enabled database management systems, scheduling applications for various customer interactions and so on are gaining momentum in the current industry and present an important further point for exploration. 

7.) Impact of AI on Military Forces and Defence Sectors

While the use of AI services and technologies for military forces and defence sectors has been viewed with alarm and much skepticism, it has nonetheless contributed to enhanced national security in many nations accompanied by the safety of military personnel. Automated weapon systems, AI-integrated tracking and vigilance systems, predictive models to prepare for attacks etc. all have significantly contributed to the increased efficiency of military and defence activities. 

The future also holds potential for further use of AI-technologies in military and defence operations. Further advancements in terms of unmanned vehicles, drones, cybersecurity systems, AI-powered decision and analytical systems, predictive systems for prediction of failures of equipment etc. surveillance and signal detection systems, strategic planning softwares etc. are significant areas to explore further.  

8.) Impact of AI on Finance Industry 

The use of AI technologies in financial institutions is also a quite potent area to explore further. With AI easing processes such as calculations, data analysis, predictive modelling, risk analysis etc. the finance industry can integrate these technologies into their services like underwriting and insurance management, for risk assessment and consequent management, analysis of market and stock data etc. Advanced AI systems can also be put to use in fraud detection, error detection, customer service related to financial domains, provision of smart and personalised financial advice etc.  

However, it must be noted that while such advancements are hypothesised as being of much use to humanity, their utility is liable to a number of ethical and safety considerations that must be made with regard to the use of AI in high stakes operations involving finances. 

9.) Impact of AI on Cybersecurity 

Lastly, the future of AI technologies mark a promising enhancement in the efficiency of cybersecurity measures. Some of the pertinent arenas in which the principles of AI can be effectively utilised include the detection of anomalous and erratic activities in computer systems indicating potential unauthorised access, cybersecurity measures like digital surveillance, facial recognition, biometric security measures, threat analysis and prediction, adaptive authentication etc. While some of these areas are already being explored in various industries for cybersecurity and network protection, other areas require further exploration and advancements in AI features to be put to best use. 

Future of Artificial Intelligence and Ethical Considerations 

When considering the future of Artificial Intelligence and its use for humankind, certain pragmatic and ethical considerations are quite important to take into account, for the unwarranted use of computerised technologies that can mimic human intelligence has vast implications for the well-being and safety of all. As a result, here are certain precautionary considerations mentioned herein which are important to account for if the widespread usage and integration of AI softwares is envisioned for the future. 

• Practical and Ethical Considerations 

As already cautioned against, if the usage of AI technologies turns unsupervised and misguided, it can have potentially lethal implications for the welfare of humankind. Firstly, considering that AI technologies are postulated to exceed human intelligence by leaps and bounds in the very near future, creation of AI technologies and their integration into high-stakes domains and industries (e.g. military, surveillance, cybersecurity etc.) can foster safety concerns for humankind. 

On a similar note, if access to high-potential and advanced AI tools and softwares are unrestricted and unsupervised, the potential of misuse of such amenities for counterproductive and harmful purposes plummets manifold. Both of these concerns have been repeatedly brought to the limelight by computer scientists, technological experts as well as modern thinkers and social activists as potentially hazardous implications of the future expansion of AI technologies.  

• Future of Work 

The future of work is inevitably likely to get transformed in significant ways with the further integration of AI services and capabilities in all industries and professions. The most imminent transformation seems to be the shift of focus from manual intellectual efforts to more effective managerial efforts, in that advancements in AI are most likely to take on a large number of tasks and key responsibilities associated with various professional roles. As a result, more importance is likely to be laid on the managerial efficiency of employees and professionals. Furthermore, the pace, accuracy and efficiency with which work can be completed is most likely to get altered and enhanced with more precise and personalised services that AI assistance promises. 

• Automation and Human Employability 

Another major concern, and a potential risk factor associated with the potential of AI technologies is its impact on human employability. The case of manufacturing is a testament to the impact on the need for human efforts and reduced dependence on manual labour with the advent of automation. Similarly, it is predicted that with the widespread advent of AI technologies that can outperform human intelligence, the dependence on human intellectual efforts would reduce manifold in the future, making a number of contemporary job roles redundant. The potential impact of such AI softwares and their prowess have been an issue uptaken multiple times. 

• AI and Privacy Risks 

A large number of applications of AI, especially in the domain of surveillance, cybersecurity, biometric recognition and security, facial recognition etc. pose potential risks to the privacy and confidentiality of personal information of users and populations at a larger scale. Another major aspect posing threats to the privacy of personal information of users include the vast amounts of datasets that are needed to train AI models. Additionally, the vast amounts of data often stored and utilised by complex AI models and softwares can further be targeted by cybercriminals for breaching privacy and misusing personal information of individuals. 

• AI and the Threat to Humanity

Lastly, another major and often feared implication for the magnification of AI softwares is their potential capability to outsmart and outperform humans to take over humankind. While such a prediction of an outcome is undoubtedly quite far-fetched and definitely a concern for the prolonged future of AI machines, robots and softwares, the momentum that AI has gained in the recent past has raised such speculations and concerns again. 

However, considering the associated implications of artificial intelligence (AI) doesn’t itself imply that its future holds solely (or even primarily) negative outcomes for humanity. The positive contributions that such AI tools can make to humanity when used appropriately and ethically are immense, ranging from efficiency of operations to personalised assistance and significant breakthroughs and contributions to science and medicine. 

How to Stay Updated in AI? Top Courses to Upskill in 2024

With the in-depth consideration of the future of AI, it is quite evident that artificially intelligent technologies are not only likely to stay relevant in the future, they are inevitably going to grow and become more advanced, integrated and widespread. As a result, if you are a student or professional wondering about upskilling and growing your competence and expertise in the domain of AI technology and management, here are some of the top online courses available for you to consider pursuing. 

MBA Online in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AI & ML)	BCA Online In AI & ML
MCA Online  In AI	Executive Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) Online in AI & ML
IIIT Courses Online	IIIT Data Science Online
IIIT AI and Machine Learning Online	IIT Courses Online
Job Assurance Program AI and ML	Online MCA In AI and ML

Conclusion 

The future of AI and its applications are immense, prosperous yet complex and requiring further close attention. While the advancements in AI are envisioned to aid significant strides in human functioning and fields like science, they simultaneously pose threats to the very welfare of humanity if not put to use in a judicious, ethical and cautious manner. As a result, the careful consideration of the applications of AI in various domains in the future calls for an informed, ethical and careful approach, one that can ensure the maximum realisation of this immensely powerful technology capable of transforming human lives.

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Reference

The Future of AI: How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the World 1

What’s the future of generative AI? An early view in 15 charts 2

The Future of AI is Now 3

Gen-AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work 4