The advantages of artificial intelligence are an improvement in health care delivery, increased efficiency in production processes, innovations in personalized learning, crime prevention, improved disaster management and the ease of language translation.
There are other benefits that artificial intelligence has brought to society besides the above. In this post, I will take you through the most important advantages of artificial intelligence.
But before we do that, let’s find out more about what artificial intelligence is, its various aspects and some real-life examples of artificial intelligence we see around us almost every day.
You can actually use this post as a dependable guide for an essay on the benefits of AI to society.
Are you ready to learn more about the positive impact that AI has had on society? Then continue reading.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that deals with creating intelligent machines that are capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence.
The goal of AI is to design algorithms and systems that can mimic human cognitive functions such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding.
2 Main Categories of AI
AI can be broadly classified into two categories:
Narrow AI (Weak AI)
Narrow AI refers to Artificial Intelligence systems that are designed and trained for a specific task or a narrow range of tasks.
Here are some examples of Narrow AI.
- virtual personal assistants like Siri and Alexa,
- recommendation systems on streaming platforms, and
- AI-powered chatbots. These systems excel in their designated tasks but lack general intelligence.
General AI (Strong AI)
General AI refers to the concept of machines that possess human-like intelligence. These can understand, learn, and apply knowledge across various domains, much like a human being.
This level of Artificial Intelligence remains a theoretical goal and has not been achieved yet.
Achieving general AI would require systems that can think, learn and reason abstractly. Such systems must be able to adjust to new situations beyond their initial training.
Branches of AI
AI encompasses several subfields or branches. The major branches of artificial intelligence include the following.
- machine learning
- natural language processing
- computer vision
- robotics, and
- expert systems.
Machine Learning Is a Unique Branch of AI
Note that the branch of artificial learning known as Machine Learning is quite unique. In fact, Machine Learning is a crucial component of many AI applications.
It involves training algorithms with large datasets to recognize patterns and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed for each task.
You can have a detailed explanation of the various branches of artificial intelligence in another post.
But before we delve into the advantages of AI to society, let me tell you a little bit about AI applications and some real-life examples of AI applications.
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AI Applications
The field of AI technology keeps evolving by the day. Thus, AI has found applications in various industries.
Today, we can find AI in action in such sectors as healthcare, finance, transportation, entertainment, and agriculture.
Indeed Artificial Intelligence technology has increasingly demonstrated its potential to enhance convenience, efficiency, and safety across different industries.
5 Real Life Examples of Artificial Intelligence
For us to be able to appreciate fully the numerous benefits of Artificial Intelligence to society, it is necessary to identify the different ways we use and experience AI in our daily lives.
Here are five real-life examples of artificial intelligence that you and I might encounter in everyday situations.
Virtual Personal Assistants (VPAs)
Artificial Intelligence has enabled individuals, businesses and government agencies to employ the services of smart virtual personal assistants.
Examples of these Virtual Personal Assistants are Siri (Apple), Alexa (Amazon), Google Assistant (Google), and Cortana (Microsoft).
They are AI-powered applications that use natural language processing and machine learning to understand and respond to user queries.
Most VPAs can perform various routine tasks. Have a look at a few.
- setting reminders
- answering questions
- controlling smart home devices, and
- providing personalized recommendations.
Recommendation Systems
Another real-life example of Artificial Intelligence is Recommendation Systems.
We all experience AI-based recommendation systems as they are used in various online platforms.
For example, they are systems that suggest products, movies, music, or content based on a user’s past behaviour and preferences.
Companies like Facebook (Meta) Netflix, Amazon, and Spotify use AI algorithms to analyze user data and then provide personalized recommendations to improve user experience and increase engagement.
Autonomous Vehicles
Self-driving cars represent a significant application of AI in the automotive industry.
AI technologies like computer vision, sensor fusion, and machine learning algorithms enable autonomous vehicles to navigate, detect obstacles, and make real-time decisions
This is how AI has contributed to the effort to ensure safe driving without human intervention.
Image and Speech Recognition
Image and Speech Recognition Systems are among the real-life examples of Artificial Technology examples we see and experience around us almost every day.
AI-powered image and speech recognition systems have become increasingly accurate. This explains why their adoption rate is on the rise across all major industries.
Below are common real-life examples of the basic functions of these AI Applications.
- facial recognition for unlocking smartphones
- identifying objects in images and
- enabling speech-to-text conversion for voice assistants or transcription services.
Fraud Detection in Banking
The banking and finance sector is not left out in the increasing adoption of AI Technology. In many banking halls today, you will find real-life examples of AI in action.
For instance, AI is utilized by banks and financial institutions to detect fraudulent activities. Machine learning models are able to analyze vast amounts of transactional data and user behaviour.
This has allowed banks and other financial institutions to identify behavioural patterns indicative of fraudulent transactions.
Obviously, AI has helped many banks to prevent financial losses while ensuring the security of their clients’ savings.
The above real-life examples of Artificial Intelligence represent just a tiny fraction of the many ways AI has become an integral part of various aspects of modern life.
You will find a much more extensive list of the many examples of AI applications in a different post here on Cegast Academy.
It is finally time for us to explore the advantages of Artificial Intelligence to society as a whole.
So here we go.
Advantages of Artificial Intelligence to Society
Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a multitude of benefits to society. In fact, AI has positively impacted human life in ways that have brought about a big improvement in the overall human experience.
Let’s have the most significant advantages of AI technology
1. Enhanced Healthcare
Advances in AI Technology have brought in their wake a massive improvement in the healthcare system in many countries.
AI-driven diagnostic tools and personalized medicine, for example, have made possible early disease detection, more accurate diagnoses, and tailored treatments.
The results are improved patient outcomes and a higher quality of healthcare delivery.
2. Drug Discovery
Beyond providing an improved healthcare delivery system, Artificial Intelligence has been playing a major role in the field of drug discovery.
So how does AI accelerate the discovery of drugs to fight disease and deadly pandemics?
AI accelerates drug discovery processes by simulating molecular interactions and identifying potential drug candidates.
Indeed, AI has, in recent times, been at the forefront of revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry and expediting medical breakthroughs.
This is how AI fosters rapid innovation across industries, pushing the boundaries of technology and creating new opportunities for societal progress.
3. Increased Efficiency in Industries
The benefits that AI has brought to the way industries operate are amazing, to say the least.
Today, the adoption of AI automation systems has led to better streamlining of industrial processes. The positive outcomes include a drastic reduction in errors and increased productivity.
Thus, AI has significantly contributed to the fast-paced economic growth rates we see in many countries.
4. Personalized Learning
Education is another sector of society that has benefitted immensely from the growth in Artificial Intelligence technology.
For example, AI educational technology applications have enabled tutors to tailor their lessons in ways that address the peculiar challenges individual students encounter in the classroom.
Again, AI-powered educational platforms now provide personalized learning experiences. These cater to each individual student’s needs, strengths, and learning styles.
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5. Safer Transportation
In an Aeologic Technologies article exploring the importance of AI in transportation published on April 18 2022, the author observed that ”Artificial Intelligence is being used in the prediction of accidents by many companies utilizing AI to predict crashes based on environmental and other factors”.
Thus, AI-based autonomous vehicles have the potential to reduce road accidents and improve overall road safety.
6. Predictive Analytics
Among the advantages of Artificial intelligence is its ability to assist humans to predict likely future occurrences with near-perfect precision.
For example, AI-driven predictive models aid in forecasting weather patterns.
Other areas that have benefitted a lot from this AI capability are economic trends and potential disease outbreaks.
Clearly, Artificial Intelligence has in no small way helped society to prepare and plan better for the future.
7. Improved Disaster Management
Closely linked to AI’s ability to predict major future developments in economics, health and agriculture is its usefulness in disaster management.
AI technologies assist society to respond more effectively to both artificial and natural disasters.
Such disasters include floods, storms and earthquakes.
According to Scientific Research, an academic publisher, geospatial data, for example, is of critical importance to decision-makers in emergency management operations.
Trust AI applications to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to help in disaster management by analyzing real-time data, predicting impact, and facilitating rapid response and relief efforts.
8. Environmental Conservation
AI can be used to monitor and protect natural ecosystems
A good example is when drones are deployed for tracking wildlife and combating illegal human activities that may cause deforestation.
9. Better Customer Relationship Management
A further advantage that society has derived from Artificial Intelligence is the substantial improvement in customer service and related areas for businesses.
According to Chetu.com, a business can derive the below advantages in customer relationship management (CRM) with the help of AI and machine applications.
- Customer segmentation
- Lead management
- Customer engagement and retention
- Sales
- Virtual Assistant
It is a known fact that AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants provide instant and round-the-clock customer support that goes a long way to enhance customer satisfaction.
10. Enhanced Personal Assistance
As we noted at the beginning of this discussion, one of the greatest advantages of Artificial Intelligence to humanity is the provision of intelligent Virtual Personal Assistants.
Virtual assistants like Samsung’s Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri and Alexa help individuals and businesses manage tasks, schedules, and information effectively.
11. Data Analysis
Any discussion of the benefits that society obtains from artificial intelligence cannot be complete without the mention of data analysis.
The task of analysing data in various fields has become much easier thanks to the growth in artificial intelligence.
This is because AI typically processes vast amounts of data within seconds. It is able to uncover patterns and insights with greater speed and accuracy that the normal human brain.
Consequently, Artificial Intelligence has aided man in key areas such as scientific research, public policy, and decision-making.
12. Crime Prevention
According to Voyager Labs.com, AI is able to ‘identify relevant patterns of crime that can best be adjusted through resource allocations.
Thus there are many advantages of Artificial Intelligence that can be felt in the following areas of crime prevention.
- timing of police car patrols
- walking patrols
- security guards
- physical barriers
- alarms
- response times of emergency services and first responders
Furthermore, AI algorithms can identify fraudulent activities. They can help stop questionable financial transactions thereby safeguarding individuals and businesses from financial losses.
13. Improved Cybersecurity
Despite the concerns being expressed about AI’s possible negative impact on security in cyberspace, the technology has brought enormous improvements in safety for all actors in the digital economy.
AI is useful for our safety in that it is more effective in the detection and prevention of cyber threats in real time.
Among others, AI is able to isolate infected devices and block malicious traffic. Thus, it has helped to protect individuals and organizations from cyberattacks that could have been devastating.
14. Efficient Resource Allocation
Artificial Intelligence has been extremely useful to government agencies and businesses in the efficient allocation of scarce resources.
AI-driven optimization models in areas like Predictive Analytics and Intelligent Automation can help in efficient resource allocation.
For example, they have helped optimize resource allocation, reduce waste and increase sustainability in fields like energy and agriculture.
15. Improvement in Agricultural Production
Agriculture has benefitted greatly from the development of Artificial Intelligence technology.
AI technologies assist farmers in optimizing crop yields, water usage, and pest management.
Thanks to AI technology, we have witnessed an unequalled transformation in food production with minimal impact on the environment.
16. Accessibility for the Disabled
AI-driven assistive technologies empower individuals with disabilities by providing personalized support and enhancing accessibility to various services.
For example, Educause reported that AI is helping students with disabilities deal with accessibility issues in the below ways.
- Accessibility in Testing
- Content Descriptions
- Webpage Interactions
Text-to-speech tools like Speechify, NaturalReader and Narrator’s Voice have come to make life a lot easier for many.
17. Language Translation
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way language translation is done. With the help of specialized machine learning models, it is now possible to perform instant multiple-language translations across different linguistic boundaries.
AI-powered language translation tools bridge communication gaps, promoting cross-cultural understanding and international collaboration.
Here are examples of popular AI-powered language translators that have come to revolutionize the translation industry.
- Google Translator
- Bing Microsoft Translator
- DeepL
- Reverso Translation
- Systran Translate Pro
- Amazon Translate
18. Improved Entertainment Experiences
The improvements in the way we entertain ourselves constitute one of the advantages of artificial intelligence.
AI algorithms recommend content like movies, books, and articles based on individual preferences.
This is a key function of the various AI-based personalized content recommendation tools we spoke about earlier.
AI has made it possible for individuals to easily access and read books and watch movies that truly align with their interests and preferences.
And by so doing, it has greatly enriched our entertainment experiences.
19. Accelerated Human Innovation
Finally, the developments in the AI industry have enabled a lot more individuals, companies and state institutions to try novel techniques and discover better and more efficient ways of performing tasks.
The fast-paced growth in the production of new computer apps and software is a result of the tools that AI and Machine Learning have made available to people with creative talents.
And the ultimate effect of these innovations we see around us is improved living conditions for the world’s populations.
Conclusion
Overall, the integration of AI into society is gradually but steadily revolutionising various aspects of human life. AI is promoting quality health care, efficiency, safety, accessibility, and sustainability.
As AI continues to evolve, responsible development and ethical considerations remain vital talking points. This is because of the need to ensure that the advantages of Artificial Intelligence to society are maximized while addressing its potential challenges.
