By Neil Brian Joseph
Endless possibilities with Artificial Intelligence
KOTA KINABALU: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a new form of technology that has been leading at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and one that can lead to endless possibilities.
From the birth of the steam engine during the First Industrial Revolution, the innovative minds of mankind have grown exponentially.
In a nutshell, AI is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, more specifically, computer systems.
Deborah Magid, a software strategy director for IBM Venture Capital Group, explained that AI are selfsufficient machines that can be used in so many different aspects.
She cited neuroscience as one of the fields which can fully utilize the vast technology of AI.
To put this into context, Deborah said that AI technology can be used to help Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients, whereby AI technology can help patients to better communicate with their loved ones. This is because AI technology can help ALS patients form sentences.
“ALS patients will not be lonely anymore,” Deborah said, during her talk entitled ‘The Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Its Impact on Higher Education’ at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) last Tuesday.
Deborah revealed that AI technology has even paved the way for the printing of 3D body parts, an innovation that has already been done widely.
In Silicon Valley, a region in California, people have started printing 3D food, such as 3D meat, she added.
Commenting on the topic of robots, Deborah said that contrary to popular belief, robots can actually be used for various tasks, not just as a ‘greeter’ or ‘a machine that helps your grandma in the house’.
Robotics takes all shapes and forms. It can be in the form of self-driving vehicles, industrial mining and construction, manufacturing, logistics, package delivery, agriculture or even the military.
She said that, in San Francisco, Uber has now started using self-driving cars. She even saw a robotic security guard at the Microsoft office once.
Deborah had also touched on the topic of drones, where she asserted that drones can be used for cellular tower, rooftop and industrial inspections, agriculture, public safety and security, aerial imagery for mining, surveying and construction, photography and even humanitarian aid.
“Some of these technologies are experimental and some have already been used widely,” she added.
She remarked however that some of the experimental form of technologies may carry certain risks.
On whether Malaysia has bright future in AI technology, Deborah stressed that the country does have a future in it as the AI technology itself is very componentized. However, in order for it to succeed, business owners would have to be aware of the technology first.
Also present at the event were the Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Informatics, Associate Prof Dr Ag Asri Ag Ibrahim, and US Embassy Counsellor for Public Affairs, Bradley Hurst.