Artificial intelligence
Fiji can’t afford to be left behind
Today, the words “artificial intelligence” (AI) send shivers down many of our spines, especially with the plethora of movies we’ve watched where AI evolved beyond our control and took over the world. If you can get over the fear of AI world dominance (which isn’t totally out of the realm of possibility in the far future) or the worry that AI will steal your jobs, AI technology has a lot of real-world tech applications that can transform many industries in Fiji and allow us to punch far above our weight in the global arena.
And no, I’m not talking about using ChatGPT to cheat on assignments.
AI is now being incorporated into virtually every application, machine, phone, and even vehicle, like Elon Musk’s self-driving Teslas. It has become an industry-transforming tool.
AI, or artificial intelligence, refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.
These systems are capable of learning from data, recognising patterns, and making decisions based on the information they receive.
In essence AI mimics human thinking processes, but operates much more efficiently and quickly than humans.
A good example is how AI that was taught to play chess beat grandmaster chess players.
Using the data that is inputted, the AI can calculate and predict every possible move the human chess player makes and counter it easily.
If used properly, AI is like having a super-efficient personal assistant, making us more efficient and productive and allowing us time to be creative while it handles menial tasks.
Most industries are going to be significantly impacted by AI technology.
The transportation industry
Autonomous travel is the future.
Elon Musk’s TESLA is currently revolutionising the transportation industry with electric self-driving cars that are outperforming traditional automobiles.
Tesla and other self-driving vehicle manufacturers heavily rely on AI to enhance both accuracy and safety during autonomous travel.
Tesla’s AI-driven systems, for example, employ a sophisticated network of cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and radar to continually monitor the vehicle’s surroundings.
This real-time data enables the car to make instantaneous decisions, ensuring optimal safety and performance on the road, and heralding the future of transportation.
In 2022, The Mayflower, a completely autonomous AI-powered ship, completed a five-week trip across the Atlantic Ocean without any human crew members.
The maritime industry is quickly shifting to enhancing autonomy, investing considerable resources in doing so.
Autonomous ships can plan the best routes like expert travellers, choose the fastest paths, consider things like weather and traffic, use less fuel, and reach their destinations quicker.
They can sail day and night without breaks, making shipping faster and more efficient and using smart sensors to keep an eye out for danger, avoiding accidents that can happen due to human mistakes, spotting obstacles, and changing their course accordingly, making voyages safer for them and other ships.
Fully autonomous transport and cargo vessels were only a few decades ago works of fiction we would see at the cinemas, yet AI has allowed this technology to become very real.
And the aviation industry is already looking to automation.
Last year, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said it’s a matter of when or not self-flying planes will enter the commercial aviation industry.
“Autonomy is going to come to all of the airplanes eventually,” said Mr Calhoun.
Health
The rise of AI in healthcare has revolutionised patient care, greatly improving the methods of diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring.
This groundbreaking technology has significantly changed healthcare research and outcomes by delivering precise diagnoses and facilitating personalised treatments.
But will we someday see robots performing surgeries on humans?
While AI is not going to replace human surgeons yet, the technology is certainly advancing to that level and we may see it someday in the future.
Scientists at Children’s National Medical Center’s (CNMC) Sheikh Zayed Institute developed a robotic system that has successfully sutured and reconnected portions of pig intestine in a living animal with little or no human intervention, outperforming humans who were asked to do the same procedure.
While the team did have to make adjustments during the surgery, it is a stark reminder of how far technology has come in just a decade.
For now, AI is only serving as our assistant.
Military
A new generation of lethal autonomous weapons systems has entered the battlefield that can identify, track, and attack targets without human intervention.
Drones with autonomous capabilities and AI-enabled munitions are already being used on the battlefield, notably in the Russia-Ukraine War.
This, of course, has sparked a debate on the ethics of self-targeting weapons (as it should).
AI is also being actively employed to analyze satellite images and drone video feeds, aiding militaries in gaining rapid insights into battlefield dynamics.
This enhanced speed facilitates quicker decision-making and more precise targeting, significantly bolstering operational efficiency and effectiveness.
The integration of AI in cybersecurity is reshaping the landscape of digital defence, using AI to fend off highly sophisticated cyber attacks that have both military applications and are used to protect the systems of governments and institutions alike.
AI-powered systems offer enhanced capabilities in threat detection, incident response, and risk mitigation.
There is not enough space in this column to talk about every single industry that AI has transformed, but I hope readers get the gist of it.
Whether we like it or not, AI is the future.
Fiji cannot afford to overlook this transformative power and must harness the potential of AI.
However, we must be aware of not just the benefits, but also the dangers that come with AI technology, especially in terms of cybersecurity and protect ourselves accordingly.