New-Tech Europe | February 2019

AI & Automation: benefits for business & industry

Stacey McIntosh, Sage

Are you worried that robots will take over the world? You’re not alone. A world where robots are self-aware and can think for themselves is a favorite theme of filmmakers, writers and sci-fi fans. Characters like See- Threepio from Star Wars, Optimus Prime of Transformers and Skynet from the Terminator have been present on the big screen for decades. Always set far in the future, intelligent technology is finally be here. Yet, many questions remain. What is the future of AI? Will robots be our friends and help us with missions in galaxies far away (or just at the office)? Or, are we likely to face a war against humanity? Are robots our friends or foes? Well, it depends on how you look at it… History of AI AI officially arrived on the scene in the early 20th century when Leonardo

Torres y Quevedo built the first chess playing automat. Ever since, developers have been fixated on creating a machine that can reason and think for itself. AI timeline We’re entering a new industrial age, also known as Industry 4.0, where automation and AI technology can increase our productivity, analytical capabilities and much more. Harnessed correctly, this technology could allow employees to lead better lives and have more meaningful careers by reducing the amount of time spent on monotonous tasks while also cutting costs for businesses. What is AI? What is artificial intelligence? Founding fathers Minsky and McCarthy defined AI technology as a device that could use independent reasoning and

intelligence to complete a task. This is clearly a fairly broad definition which often leads to confusion over whether something can truly be classed as AI technology. However, it wasn’t until the advances in machine learning were realized, that we had a breakthrough and the acceleration of AI powered products was made possible. What is machine learning? AI technology often depends on machine learning as this allows them to learn from their experiences and adapt their reactions accordingly. Machine learning can be defined as the science of teaching robots to learn and behave like humans. This process relies on a consistent input of data and information, which allows the robots to form observations and learn the appropriate reactions or responses to given situations.

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