Whether it is in professional environments or within a group discussion, the topic of AI seems to be a conversation to be had at some point. Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a term used to describe machines or other technology that mimic human cognitive functions, such as “learning”, “reasoning”, and “problem-solving”.
In this century, AI techniques have become a significant factor in the technology industry by aiding to solve multiple challenging problems prevalent in computer science, software engineering, and operations research.
Now more than ever, AI has expanded into a myriad of industries, including law, healthcare, advertising, and commerce, in addition to its original technological, mathematical, and statistical fields.
With so much influence in a variety of areas, people should get a jumpstart on understanding and learning the concepts of AI to thrive in today’s world.
From self-driving and parking vehicles to digital assistants, such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, the world is encompassed by different forms of AI technology.
Fortunately, there are plenty of methods to access the information on AI, its impact on multiple industries, and its evolution.
In 2019, the IDC predicted that the compound annual growth rate for global spending on AI will reach over $57 billion by 2021 due to the investments in banking, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing, which will make up over half of the worldwide spending on AI.
To better understand AI and how it impacts on the world, here are five ways you can give yourself a crash course in artificial intelligence:
Reading Books
Why not start with the most basic and traditional method? Plenty of acclaimed and informational books have been published on the cultivation and influence of AI in various industries and the overall world.
In order to become an AI innovator, especially during the infancy of machine intelligence, one should read up on different perspectives and approaches in creating and utilizing AI effectively.
This Digital Authority Partners list of the best AI books is a great way to start expanding one’s awareness and knowledge of AI. Each book provides its own interpretation of the influence of AI on humanity and the economy, not to mention, their perspective on the future of AI.
Online Courses
To get your feet wet on the concept of AI, you are not required to obtain a university degree on a seemingly complex technological concept.
There are plenty of great online courses teaching students about AI free of charge. Some of the courses are distributed by well-known companies and establishments, such as Google, Columbia University, and MIT.
Each and every course focuses on one aspect of AI than the other, which allows people to choose what they specifically want to learn about AI.
Some courses are aimed for those more interested in programming, while others offer information about AI from an entrepreneur’s point of view. Online courses are a great method of choice for becoming more familiar with the importance and impact of AI.
Your laptop and a comfortable case are more than enough to tune in to online courses that offer material on the basics and advanced implementation of AI. The field is so intriguing, it will keep you busy and stimulate your mind for a long period of time.
AI Events
As we previously mentioned in this article, multiple industries are adopting AI in order to better enhance their services and products.
Experts in any field should have the opportunity to educate themselves on this constantly evolving technological concept, and attending a variety of conventions and events targeted to specific professions is a great way to do so.
For example, companies like AIMed curate global summits, conferences, workshops, and more focus on the integration of AI within the medical field. From doctors and nurses to CEOs of hospitals, everyone attends these kinds of events, and they are the best way to learn more about the functionality of AI within healthcare.
Other top-notch conventions include AI World, AIIM, and Big Data and AI Toronto, where business analysts, software engineers, data scientists, Directors of IT, and other professionals socialize.
In the AI industry, professionals representing businesses involved in finance, cybersecurity, healthcare, consulting, and the public sector are constantly contributing to the benefit and overall future of AI by working collaboratively.
Online Communities
One of the best ways to strengthen any set of skills, including the understanding and the application of AI, is to collaborate and share with other people. With or without any basic knowledge of AI, people could look into online communities where any questions or inquiries can be answered by fellow peers.
Kaggle is perhaps the most respected online forum where data scientists, machine learners, engineers, and newcomers can interact with one another and learn more about AI together. This platform allows users to communicate with others, build models in an appropriate environment, publish and find data sets, and compete in competitions to enhance their skills.
Sharing ideas, having a friendly competition with others, and helping people solve their problems are key factors in successfully integrating and understanding AI.
Building a Project
One way to learn about a topic or concept is through literature and courses, but another is to have more practical experience with the study. In other words, anybody can come up with an idea they are passionate about and build the project using simple AI Algorithms if they wish to.
Building a project with a few simple AI algorithms from scratch may be a challenge and
requires a learning curve, but it is perhaps the most effective way to truly learn to utilize AI in your work.
AI is an important technological concept that is being adopted by a variety of industries, not to mention, piquing the interest of professionals, students, and the general public.
Global spending on AI is said to grow to approximately $7 billion per year by 2022 due to many companies making great investments in AI for their services and products.
Even though AI is a fairly complex form of technology that demands an understanding of programming, logic, problem-solving, and analytical skills, anybody can become familiar with AI through different methods available out there.
Whether through books or a self-made project, you could put down on your resume that you are capable of using AI tools in the industry of your choice. With the direction our world is taking, a basic understanding of AI if not more is absolutely necessary.