Unveiling the future of AI: Anticipating trends, innovations and impact on society

Many believe that the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will simplify human life, handling complex tasks more efficiently. Others argue that its adoption is dangerous. They believe it poses privacy risks, perpetuates harmful stereotypes and could lead to mass unemployment.

This article will provide insight into the future of AI and its innovations in various sectors. It also discusses social and ethical considerations around the integration of AI into our society. 

Adoption and integration of AI technology into society

Artificial intelligence experienced rapid growth, fundamentally reshaping how we live, work, learn and interact. These statistics from Forbes show how we have adopted and integrated AI into our society:

• AI should experience a significant increase in its growth rate - around 37% - over the next decade
• 25% of companies are using it to tackle labour shortages
• Approximately 50% of mobile users in the United States use voice search daily
• 64% of businesses expect that AI use will increase production
• Cutting-edge Innovations and Trends in AI Technology

Here are some innovations and trends you can find in AI technology today:

Healthcare

Healthcare professionals now apply AI to diagnostics, drug development and discovery, and patient care. According to a study in the Annals of Oncology, AI may diagnose skin cancer even better than some experts. 

In a Chinese trial, an AI system also deciphered the likelihood of patients in a coma to recover. This accurately predicted about 90% of the cases. This technology can improve precision, reduce human errors and save countless lives. However, there are still general concerns about privacy, bias and discrimination in patient care and diagnostics.

Education

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionising the way we learn, making education more accessible. Students can personalise their learning experience through AI-powered tutoring systems and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies. 

Teachers use immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to create immersive learning experiences and improve teaching styles. There are growing ethical concerns about bias, data collection transparency and AI's impact on teacher-student relationships.

Finance

AI is reshaping the finance industry using machine learning algorithms like deep learning to detect and prevent fraud. This also functions to manage risks and ensure compliance with regulations. These tools can use artificial neural networks for data processing, pattern recognition and analysis. Based on the results, they make AI predictions on market trends, simplifying the trading and investment processes.

Financial institutions invest more in natural language processing, robotic process automation, data mining, predictive analytics, predictive modelling, chatbots and virtual assistants. However, using AI in finance raises concerns about algorithmic bias, data privacy and security and market manipulation.

Social Good

AI is helping to address several global challenges, including environmental and public health.  An organisation called OceanMind uses AI and machine learning algorithms to combat the problems of overfishing and illegal fishing. 

They gather and analyse data to track vessels worldwide and ensure that fishing craft only operates in legally permitted areas. The Global Emancipation Network (GEN) has partnered with Accenture, Splunk and Graphistry to develop Artemis, an AI-powered tool that combats human trafficking. It collects data from various sources, identifies businesses and individuals who may be involved and notifies appropriate authorities for investigation. However, this poses the apparent concern of privacy and surveillance, bias and discrimination and the absence of human judgment. 

AI is now able to detect skin cancer in a patient

iGaming

AI has significantly transformed the gaming industry, improving player experience and gameplay. Slotsjudge, the trusted guide to games and igaming platforms, exemplifies a noteworthy use case. Platforms like Slotsjudge are revolutionising player experiences, using AI algorithms to provide personalised recommendations based on individual gaming preferences.

This improves user engagement and helps allocate resources more efficiently for game development. AI's predictive analytics capabilities also aid in detecting and preventing fraud, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of casino operations.

Transportation

Experts use machine learning, including supervised learning, unsupervised learning and reinforcement learning in transportation. This technology analyses large sums of data to help autonomous vehicles make better decisions and navigate safely and efficiently. 

According to predictions, by 2030, around 12% of newly manufactured passenger cars will be equipped with L3+ autonomous technologies. This means these cars will have advanced features, allowing them to operate with minimal human intervention.

How will AI shape our society’s future?

Companies like OpenAI and DeepMind plan to push this technology's boundaries by developing machines with human brain capabilities. AI future predictions continue to shape our society - positively and otherwise.

Potential pitfalls

Below are a few disadvantages of AI's impact on our society's future:

1.     Job and workforce displacement

Unemployment is a concern because the increasing use of machinery may replace many jobs. In recent times, a significant number of car assembly lines have transformed with the introduction of machinery and robotics. Unfortunately, this shift has resulted in traditional workers losing their jobs. Digital tools could replace human workers in various industries, such as retail, manufacturing and customer service.

According to Forbes, 77% of people are concerned about how technology might make them lose their jobs.

2.     Human rights violations

Maintaining privacy may become challenging with the increasing use of surveillance technologies, deep fakes, facial recognition systems and other advanced computer programs. AI also has the potential to contribute to inequality. AI relies heavily on data science to train its algorithms. Using biased datasets can cause unfair decisions that discriminate against marginalised groups. 

The UN Human Rights Office has released a report examining AI's impact on various human rights, including privacy, health and freedom of expression.

3.     Health issues

There will be a substantial social change that will significantly impact how we live as a human community. As AI advances, the need for people to physically meet and exchange ideas may decrease. This could lead to a decrease in human closeness. Humans can develop physical and mental health issues from relying too much on technology for communication. This includes loneliness, anxiety and depression. 

Positive outcomes

The following includes the positive contributions of robotics to our society's future:

1.     Scientific advancement

Many people have become worried about slowing scientific progress in the past few decades and these are justifiable concerns. 

AI allows us to analyse vast amounts of data and use computers to find intricate relationships and patterns in that data.  Equipped with computers and AI, we can address ideas and challenges on a much larger scale. AI could revolutionise discoveries, taking us to a golden age of scientific advancements and breakthroughs.

2.     Improved and personalised healthcare

AI has been improving efficiency in healthcare and is poised to have even more groundbreaking impacts, such as the detection and treatment of cancers.

Oesophageal cancer has low survival rates, but if diagnosed early, there’s a higher chance of successfully treating or curing the cancer. However, diagnosing this condition in its early stages is highly challenging.

Researchers at the University College London Hospital, UK, collaborated with technologists to create a tool called CADU.  This tool uses computer vision to analyse images of a patient's oesophagus to detect subtle early changes in real-time. AI also has the potential to generate and recommend treatment options specifically tailored to each individual.

Final thoughts

AI is here to stay. But beyond the challenges, it’s essential to recognise that it primarily expands and improves our human abilities, especially when solving problems. 

However, ensuring we have adequate systems to regulate them is crucial to responsibly harnessing its potential. We should carefully manage AI use by implementing effective regulations and establishing relevant agencies. This will allow us to increase and restrict the range of AI applications, depending on what is appropriate.