No stopping applications of artificial intelligence
Expanding technology offers limitless possibilities, Windsor researcher says
Autonomous cars, more powerful smartphones and voice-powered assistants like Siri are merely scratching the surface of the future.
“Artificial intelligence has become the uninvited guest in our lives,” says Ziad Kobti, head of the University of Windsor’s school of computer science and president of the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Association.
“Five years ago you saw some iPhones, but now smartphones are ubiquitous. Almost everybody has one and they’re powerful.
“The next step is wearable electronics, so it’s on you all the time. Soon you’ll see, when you pick up your phone, it’s going to read your heartbeat, temperature and your moods. If you have a fever it’s going to tell you to call your doctor.”
Artificial intelligence refers to any system that can autonomously reason and learn in its environment, and plan accordingly. It is intended to help humans by using data it collects to anticipate our needs and improve our experiences.
It offers limitless possibilities, but it also raises many unanswered questions about how it will be controlled, Kobti said.
Health care is a sector in which artificial intelligence could make a big difference, he said.
The university is currently working on such a project with the Windsor/Essex Community Care Access Centre. Researchers are developing software that can monitor and anticipate patients’ needs and also tap into volunteer networks. It can then optimize scheduling to make the most of the resources available.
“It would take a tremendous amount of staff to do that across the community,” Kobti said. “If we can develop that, the amount
of time and money and improvements in the system would be amazing. We’re seeking government support right now for this.”
Canada is well placed to take advantage of artificial intelligence thanks to government investments in a series of advanced computer systems across the country that have been made available to researchers, he said. “These are ultra fast and powerful computer systems. Not many countries have this available for researchers.”
Prior to joining the university, Kobti worked in software development for the Windsor trucking firm TST Expedited Services, which developed a system to track all of its trucks and shipments across North America.
“We won a (Canadian Information Processing) award for that in 1999. It came from a local company and it revolutionized the transportation and shipping industries,” he said.
While the potential for artificial intelligence is great, there is justification for some fear, Kobti said.
It has developed with little government or societal restraint since its emergence in the 1970s and 1980s.
“We didn’t wait 40 years after the automobile was invented to start requiring certain safety features and rules of the road,” Kobti noted. “That’s what we’ve essentially done with (artificial intelligence).”
We can’t be passive any longer, he warns. “People and governments have to become more educated and involved in decisions and developing policy about how (artificial intelligence) is going to be used in society. If we don’t know how it works, imagine how much control we’ve lost.”
Decades after the creation of the online world, there are still large legal loopholes regarding the internet, Kobti points out. “For instance, in the eyes of the law who gets the blame when there is the odd collision involving autonomous cars? The car company? Google? The people in the car? We’re so far behind in regulating technology.”
The organization he heads promotes interest and activity in artificial intelligence but hasn’t had much of a role in government policy making, Kobti said.
“I surely hope the current generation becomes actively involved, rather than remain passive and let the next generation handle the consequences of our inaction.”
We didn’t wait 40 years after the automobile was invented to start requiring certain safety features and rules of the road. That’s what we’ve essentially done with (artificial intelligence).