Learn the ABC's of AI

When someone describes Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a personal assistant that can help you with everything from cooking to cleaning, from entertainment to education, and from health to happiness, it can sound a bit unnerving.  It may even seem as if Rosy, the robotic housekeeper from the 1960s cartoon "The Jetsons," is going to appear in the kitchen. But many of us are unaware that we have been using AI technology every day for a few years now.  Let us count the ways:

• Facebook and other social media platforms use AI to fill your feed with posts they think you will like.
• Amazon and Netflix recommendations are created by AI.
• Your GPS knows exactly what time you will arrive at your destination because AI is used to determine how fast or slow you will drive on certain roads.
• AI is also in use to configure your face or thumbprint to open your smartphone.
• Google Assist, Alexa and Siri are all AI technology.
• Anti-virus software, spellcheck and word prediction as well as chatbots used for website customer service are made possible by AI.
• Banking apps use AI to deposit checks and send low balance and fraud alerts.
• Google and Microsoft are integrating across their entire platforms with AI.

The bottom line is AI technology isn’t futuristic; it's all around us and showing up everywhere in our daily lives. It is center stage in all predictive analytics.

If you want to incorporate more AI technology into your life, start recognizing where it already exists in your life. If you’re not ready to completely makeover your household into a smart home, you can start with a smart thermostat. It studies the temperature you like and at what time and builds a schedule around your preferences and takes any indecisiveness out of your hands.

Want to move beyond apps and gadgets and try your hand at ChatGPT? Identify a problem you want AI to solve. For example, are you taking a trip? ChatGPT can create a personalized travel itinerary for any destination based on length of stay and budget. It can also tell you about currency, weather, language and transportation and suggest the cheapest flights and hotels. The key is prompting it with your preferences.

Looking for a new health and fitness plan for the new year? Tell ChatGPT your height, age, current weight and your goal weight along with your fitness level and any restrictions and it will come back with a fitness and nutrition plan.

AI can be a brainstorming partner when writing. While it can not be trusted to be accurate or even have good grammar at times, it can help to light the creative spark.

The Downside of AI

As with everything there are pros and cons and using AI is no different. While arranging for AI to open your smartphone or keep your house at a certain temperature all year long may seem harmless, other uses of AI come with more risk.

It may seem like a good thing that social media and streaming platforms send you notifications for topics and things you like. This is also considered a form of social manipulation because it may create biases by not exposing you to any thoughts or opinions that differ from your own. It can be an avenue for sharing misinformation and propaganda. Users can create realistic looking photos, audio and video clips as well as insert people into photos or remove people from photos. These “deep fakes” are hard to distinguish from actual photographs.

Using AI can expose you to cybersecurity risks as it collects and processes information, some of which can contain sensitive and personal information.

AI can seem new, exciting and scary all at the same time. Balance what you want to use it for with the potential risks. Familiarize yourself with the technology and decide what is right for you and your household, church or professional setting. Lastly, AI technology is changing almost daily, so do your best to stay on top of trends and what is new in order to get the most benefit for your needs.

The information contained herein is for informational purposes only.  While MMBB made every attempt to ensure that the information is accurate, MMBB is not responsible for any errors or omissions or the results obtained from the use of this information.  MMBB is not liable for any success or failure that is directly or indirectly related to the use of the information contained herein.  The information contained herein does not constitute any financial, insurance, investment, legal, or tax advice.  In no event shall, MMBB and/or its fiduciaries, directors, officers, employees, or agents thereof be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in action of contract, negligence or tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the information contained herein.