Artificial Intelligence

 

Entering the World of Artificial Intelligence 

The Maple Ridge Library is a very diverse resource for the community. It is no longer just a book lending venue. I have already experienced some of its array of options, the most recent of which was a session for seniors relating to the mysterious world of artificial intelligence. 

When I first heard about the phenomenon, I can remember worrying. “What now?” That was my first reaction to my being tired of all the new artificial or indoctrinating ways of living life on Earth. I’ve always had a hesitation about new things. When life is going so smoothly, why bring in new concepts — artificial or imposing concepts to carry me away from my comfort zone?

Artificial Intelligence is most often referenced as AI and pronounced “A-i”, not al. I wonder how people named Al feel about that! I know that is a silly wonder, but a logical one. I also wonder why the typewriter doesn’t depict the capital letter “i“ as we all know it to be! I know that too is a silly thing to wonder about, but a logical one. But I digress, I think. I wonder. I like thinking. I like wondering. It seems like thinking and wondering have become verboten or avoided. Sad. Al, tell me it isn’t so.

Okay so there I sat in the library meeting room with thirty others. I felt ready to dispel my worries and negative thoughts. I set them aside and opened my senior mind to becoming educated about what, at that moment, was a totally perplexing and foreign concept.

The presenter was a senior named Alan Cadwell, former professor at the University of the Fraser Valley. He has been fascinated by technology for decades and when he combines that passion with teaching eager learners, the result is a very positive evaluation! 

This man is well aware of our fears, our uncertainties, our need for clarification. He knows that it is only natural to fear something we don’t understand. It is only natural to fear something that is moving faster than we can conceptualize. He knows we feel overwhelmed. I immediately felt at ease and ready to listen.

Alan is calm. He is patient. He is experienced. He knows his audience and flows through his presentation at a pace that gives us time to take it in, to set our worries and anxieties aside, and to open our minds to clarification. 

Basically AI (A-i) is a title for information explosion. It combines all sources of knowledge together and has become an architect for the future. It amasses data, recognizes patterns, and predicts what’s most likely going to happen next. It offers possible answers to problems or questions, gives us ideas and options, and helps us move forward in understanding and decision making more quickly than ever.

Alan shared with us the phrase “see it as a partnership of AI and Me, not Al instead of Me”. Hearing that proclamation enveloped the room with a sense of calm. We left the session feeling informed and educated about the intentions of AI, its value and its power. And, as with all things that include power, being aware of the negatives while embracing the positives is the best way to move forward.

Alan inspired us to see and embrace ‘learning’ as a daily life habit and key to staying engaged and informed. AI is a tool that can help us learn things, remember things, save time, organize our day, our travels, our weekly shopping for bargains list; how to renovate, decorate, buy or sell a home; how to fix things; and, more importantly, how to be more self-reliant using the best information out there to think, recall, remember and make our own decisions each and every day for as long as we can.