BY KEVIN CHA
Every January for the last 50 years, at the annual Consumer Electronics
Show (CES) , tens of thousands of tech enthusiasts gather in Las Vegas for the
unveiling of new gadgets that are being introduced to the world’s markets. This
year’s edition was no different in terms of the buzz, curiosity and enthusiasm,
with one major difference: The showstoppers were not gadgets, but the
technology that are now feeding these gadgets and helping them run i.e.
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
The pace of integration of AI and Robotics into consumer products and
our daily lives is accelerating and was on display across the CES, as robots
demonstrated an increasingly diverse and complex array of skills and
capabilities. The advancements in AI and Robotics are expected to transform
lifestyles and industries around the world; and ultimately improve humankind’s
experiences, from reducing repetitive tasks at work to eliminating age-old
malignant practices such as manual scavenging.
Being part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution now, presents several
unique opportunities for economies around the world. While the previous three
industrial revolutions—which span more than two centuries—largely revolved
around mechanization, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is something else
entirely. It is blending the physical, digital and biological realms.
Forecasts have been made by some industrial analysts. Gartner is
forecasting that 50% of all analytical interactions will be delivered via AI in
the next three to five years.
AI and machine learning will be embedded into everyday things like
appliances, cars, sensors and drones. As
you can see much of this new revolution is being driven by artificial
intelligence (AI), deep learning and machine learning and developments in these
fields over the past few decades have led to an astounding array of
capabilities. This new phase of revolution is unlocking the secrets of genes
and the human brain. They are seeking faster, more efficient, smart and straightforward
ways of operating everyday tasks that have been simplified by technology and in
many cases, introducing intelligence that surpasses humans.
Young people in the Middle East and North Africa expect the Fourth
Industrial Revolution to have a significant impact on their working and daily
lives, while many are comfortable about living in a future where robots work
and exist alongside humans, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global
Shaper Survey 2017.
In the GCC, the impressive US$100 billion tech fund backed by Saudi
Arabia and Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala is testament to the long-term
diversification strategy of shifting from petro-economies to knowledge-based
economies. In October 2017, the UAE, in a world first, announced and appointed
a Minister of Artificial Intelligence as a resounding acknowledgement that the
country takes future technologies and their impact seriously.
With artificial intelligence becoming the new engine launching the
fourth industrial revolution, companies across the globe are setting its sights
on AI enabled products and technologies. As part of the recent announcement, LG
Electronics has announced the distribution of its artificial intelligence (AI)
development tool to all business divisions in line with its efforts to speed up
the release of new products equipped with the latest technology.
LG’s proprietary deep learning-based AI technology is in line with its
efforts to speed up the release of new products with the latest technology.
With innovative AI platforms such as LG ThinQ, the “live and learn” philosophy
requires machines to educate themselves and become smarter over time.
As
machine learning becomes more advanced, products will understand their external
environments as well as absorb their customers’ behavioural patterns. For
example, an air conditioner will learn its inhabitants’ living patterns over
time and adjust the room’s temperature to its occupants’ desired range, or
cabin monitoring technology in a car can familiarize itself with the driver’s
facial expressions and gestures and be able to recognize the moment a driver
starts to feel drowsy.
There is no doubt that technology and the companies that spearhead
innovation have grown from mere enablers into giant corporations that are
redefining humankind’s way of life at a tremendous pace. We feel their impact
throughout our daily lives – in our kitchens, homes, automobiles, offices,
schools, smartphones and computers; through industries; across governments; in
the media and of course, on social media. Technology is influencing our
thoughts and shaping our opinions. It is well and truly, omnipresent.
Our world as we know it, is changing – in many ways for the better – as
technology and innovation are freeing up humankind from monotony to pursue more
innovation and subsequently, enhance their lives. Tech companies have an
enormous responsibility to understand the socio-economic disruption caused by
technology and must engage and work with governments, industries,
policy-makers, activists, consumers and stakeholders to prepare societies for
the change that is imminent. The positive vision that we should work towards is
not of AI as a replacement for us, but as a technology that can enhance all
aspects of our lives.
As new technologies are rolled out, innovators must lead the
conversation in civil society to reassure, retrain and recalibrate their
skill-force. After all, we cannot expect AI and Robots to do that for us. Or,
can we?
Kevin Cha is President, LG Electronics MEA
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