You will have read lots of diverging views on AI, or to give it its full name, artificial intelligence. Have you ever wondered why this is?
AI offers many, many opportunities to change the way we work and the way we use information. And this isn't just potential. It is happening right now.
A superficial glance at AI can lead people to think the claims are unrealistic, and that AI is just another passing fad. There are opinions about the quality of the results of using AI, and widely touted perceived risks (and, candidly, some real risks!)
But when you look at examples of people using AI from a position of understanding, the results can be dramatic. It is important to realize that AI is just a tool. Like any tool, especially physical tools for such as those for fabricating metal goods, an untrained operator will likely do potentially enormous damage.
However, with training to learn the best way to use AI, in the right hands it becomes a formidable partner.
So AI is a tool that helps knowledgeable people learn, and provides them opportunities to deliver significant value.
What can AI help me do?
Right now it's important to look at this in two ways. First, in your personal life AI can help you learn about topics with which you are unfamiliar. It can answer all those questions you've always wanted to ask, but have never had an opportunity to so do. And it can also help you with administration, such as writing letters, applying for jobs, organizing your schedule and finances, and much more. Sure, you can do these already using web searches and apps. But AI brings more automation and less effort for you.
Second, AI can help in your professional life, by supporting similar tasks but for your employer. There are now categories of jobs that are already transformed by AI, such as customer service, sales, and software engineering. And the list is only going to increase, as will the impact of AI.
Great! you want to learn to use AI
So where do you start? First it is critical to learn how to be open minded and skeptical. You can read about that here. Next, you need to master the basic techniques you need to use to best interact with AI. And finally, you need to use it!
What are your experiences with AI? Have you tried and failed? Have you tried and succeeded? What is stopping you from trying AI?
Do let us know in the comments below.