Brief: The AI Revolution
Undoubtedly, humanity is undergoing transformative changes that were unimaginable just a decade ago. It’s fascinating to consider where this dynamic process will lead us, fueled by rapid accelerations in science, history, and technology.
It almost seems archaic to reexamine the historical phases of our modern civilization as they reveal a stark contrast in the current pace of advancements and change.
The First Industrial Revolution brought the steam engine and the rise of modern agriculture, while the Second Revolution introduced modern manufacturing and global industrialization. The Third Revolution was marked by the advent of the Internet.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterized by significant advances in new technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud technology, advanced analytics, augmented reality, virtual reality, and quantum computing. It is very important for organizations to proactively equip their workforce with essential upskilling and reskilling opportunities. Organizations need to adapt and evolve their competencies and strategies to foster continuous learning and engagement with these technological advances. These advances affect the social, political, economic, and educational realms.
In 1955, Emeritus Stanford Professor John McCarthy coined the term Artificial Intelligence and defined it as the science and engineering of making intelligent machines. Recently, it has gained notable recognition, embodying a machine's ability to execute tasks and exhibit cognitive abilities associated with human beings, such as perception, reasoning, and learning. Furthermore, it also allows machines to integrate and operate in dynamic environments. Additionally, AI leverages and thrives through the utilization of extensive databases.
Leading examples of AI technology include generative AI such as ChatGPT, an interactive chatbot renowned for its conversational abilities. The Global Forecast Series reveals that in 2023, ChatGPT led the artificial intelligence website traffic, accumulating over 60% of industry visits, which translates to about 14.6 billion site visits. This highlights ChatGPT's significant impact and adoption in the AI sector.
Following ChatGPT is Character.AI, with 15% of industry visits, is a tool that engages users with historical figures, fictional friends, and characters for both entertainment and learning purposes. Additionally, Quillbot, recognized for its advanced AI writing capabilities, captures 4.7% of the market share based on industry visit data.
Other examples include Google Bard, NovelAI, Microsoft Bing, etc. This sector is anticipated to continue experiencing specialized expansion in the diversity of offerings.
AI advancements have also facilitated the development of autonomous vehicles, such as Waymo, established under Google’s parent company, Alphabet, which is characterized by innovative self-driving technology. This innovation is visible in Phoenix, Arizona, particularly in downtown and beyond, where Waymo vehicles have become a common sight.
Furthermore, AI's influence extends to voice assistants, language translation services, and image and video recognition, showcasing the versatility and growth of artificial intelligence across various sectors. Key takeaways from various surveys and sources are that about 35% of businesses have incorporated artificial intelligence into their operations, approximately 77% of electronic devices utilize and benefit from AI technology, and that 9 out of 10 organizations leverage AI to improve operational efficiency.
Marc Rotenberg, the executive director and founder of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, has been instrumental in shaping the discourse on AI governance. His contribution to the development of the Universal Guidelines for AI sets forth a benchmark for regulating AI technologies. This framework is designed to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing its risks and, most importantly, ensuring the protection of human rights. The Universal Guidelines for AI include the right to transparency, human determination, and the obligation to data quality, among others. I am looking forward to the program “The Future of AI Global Policy” to gain a deeper understanding of the continuous advancements in AI, its implications, and the direction of AI policy moving forward.
The views expressed are solely those of the writer and not those of PCFR, which takes no institutional position on policy.
A brief for our February 16, 2024 program on AI featuring Marc Rotenberg, Executive Director and Founder of the Center for AI and Digital Policy
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“What Are Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and 4IR?” McKinsey & Company, 17 Aug. 2022, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-are-industry-4-0-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-and-4ir.
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