Raj Chandrashekhar
As we continue our series on artificial intelligence, specifically generative AI (Gen AI), we thought we'd take a look at some of the recent statements made by some of the biggest names in tech about how this innovation has the potential to change our lives, and more importantly, why is it important for users of our gadgets and apps to know what's going on behind the scenes?
From the internal combustion engine-powered automobile to the ubiquitous little pocket calculator, technology has been around for ages and has transformed the way we live our lives. These and many other technological gadgets have been quietly evolving behind the scenes while we, the users, happily work to adopt them to simplify our lives.
Today, those same people use their smartphones to hail a cab, make digital appointments with their doctor, and order meals and groceries with just a few clicks. Honestly, how much thought have we given to the technology that makes all of this possible? And more importantly, should we actually care about it?
Need to look under the hood to check out the tech?
If that were the case, what is the purpose of tech giants racing almost daily to let us know how innovatively bold they are? Thankfully, these guys and their PR departments don't work on weekends, otherwise they would come up with new ways to tell us how awesome they are.
Let's take an example of Gen AI, a technology that generates text, images, videos, and other data using AI models that learn patterns and structures in the input training data and generate new data with similar characteristics. These foundational models are created using multiple datasets from your industry or business and are used to train larger models.
After reading the paragraph above, pause for a moment and think: How does this definition help or hinder your use of ChatGPT and other applications built on top of it? Meme makers: Unfinished Gen AI ModelMaybe you care because you're looking for errors, while the rest of us move on to the next smart technology.
Hype and noise around technology
Recently, companies in the B2C space like Microsoft and Google have been working hard to get us in the door with how smart their technology is and, as a result, how indispensable it is, from basic apps that allow users to contact ChatGPT on their phone to AI-driven assistants for everyday word processing tasks.
For two decades now, we’ve relied on these innovations to use gadgets and apps that support collaboration, creativity, and ease of use. At this stage, it’s rare to see such a bold PR push from these big tech companies about Gen AI and its potential to surpass sliced bread as the world’s greatest innovation.
When your smartphone becomes the single device that can be used for ride-hailing, grocery shopping, food delivery and all kinds of online shopping, have you noticed that Amazon is connected to multiple computer networks or that Ola cab reaches you through a set of APIs that include maps, vehicle location and more?
How cutting edge is cutting edge technology?
For a long time, there has been a word attached to any technology: “cutting edge.” Today, companies like Microsoft and Google are attaching the term to Gen AI, and even the normally silent Apple is claiming that the addition of AI to its updated Siri will bring about magical changes, which the company announced on June 10.
Recently, Microsoft has been releasing a new version of the AI-driven Windows operating systemSounds like a dream come true, right? So, separating the chaff from the wheat, we get the ability to list every operation you've ever performed on your machine. There's also another feature that lets you restore older images. How many of you would want to perform either of these tasks? Or how many times a year? But it's such hype that Microsoft is calling it Copilot+ PC.
On-device and on-network
Underlying all this hoopla is the theory that AI functions will be faster and more secure if they run on a handheld gadget, desktop device or laptop. Does this mean we are moving away from the world of internet-networked computers that enabled much of the technology of the past decade?
Is on-device AI the next story to unfold? Taking secure face or fingerprint identification as an example, one might think that using AI on-device would be more secure than using it over a network, since the data never leaves the device. However, we will have to wait and see whether big tech companies can justify such a move and make it their USP.
This is especially true because there is a clear polarization between those who believe in Gen AI and those who are skeptical of its effectiveness. Of course, some companies are using it to their advantage, like a startup launched by two Harvard University graduates that captures the atmosphere of a particular event and offers dresses and accessories to match.
For now, we need to clear up the confusion around Gen AI, both on-device and on-network — at least until your Ola driver no longer cancels your trip or you're surprised when your digitally ordered item is delivered by a brick instead of your smartphone.
Until then, moving from a regular smartphone to an AI-enabled one will only prove that we, the buyers, are not as smart as the technology or the companies selling it.
