Artificial Intelligence: Debunking the Top 5 AI Myths (ROUNAK SARKAR)

1. AI consists of intelligent robots or androids that look like humans.

Too much "Blade Runner" for everyone here, hmm? Well, we’re already past the fictional “November 2019” of that movie now! Although there's a lot of general confusion between robotics and AI, they are two completely different science fields which serve different purposes. Robots are physical devices served by actuators and sensors to perform a wide range of tasks, such as building, carrying or dismantling products in factories.

2. AI, machine learning and deep learning are all the same thing.

Although they're all parts of the same larger AI system, they're three different things. Basically, machine learning is the method through which AI learns from external sources, as in using algorithms to discriminate data and determine its correct behaviors. Deep learning is just one possible technique used in practical applications of machine learning. It is based on neural networks (NNs) and is used to tell the AI what its probability is of making the right decision.

3. AI learns completely on its own.

Despite some exaggerated hype about AI that was allegedly able to learn on its own, it is still impossible to find an AI-powered system that has any real-world application that can grow from zero knowledge without human assistance. Any system that has to deal with hidden information or uncertainty of any kind cannot be "understood" by AI, which still needs to be fed input and data by humans. Also, every bit of information must have a clear purpose, something that AI cannot guess without external sources (not in the beginning, at least)

4. AI is always better than human employees.

It is true that many jobs have already been taken over by AI. But they’re all simple and repetitive tasks that are now automated. Although they may be more efficient than humans in some instances, current AI technologies are pretty basic and can rarely substitute a human employee in any area that requires creativity, empathy, or critical thinking. Some very “humane” things like face-to-face communication cannot be replaced by any machine, too. No AI is able to create knowledge itself and think independently, and even the most intelligent machines are still much less… intelligent than simple animals.

5. The power needed to perform all future deep-learning operations is unsustainable.

It is undeniable that AI requires a lot of additional computing power to be trained and perform all its complex deep-learning operations. In a future where most enterprises will make use of AI to some extent, this problem may grow to epic proportions, making its use potentially unsustainable.

However, AI may actually provide us with the perfect solutions to help us tackle the climate change. It can help farmers push yields per hectare, improve energy production by reducing power grids' waste and inefficiency, enhance mobility through smart vehicles and drive the adoption of clean energy solutions. Also, by the time AI is widely adopted, we will have better, more powerful computers (or even quantum ones) to support this tech.