Hello there!
The new year has arrived! The beginning of a new year has always been a gentle reminder that there are constantly new stories in the making. Our human brains love thinking in stories — we remember things better when there is a clear beginning, an end, and protagonists embarking on new endeavors. While commencing a new year is merely a change of date, it’s an excellent opportunity to think about hopes, wishes, and possibilities of the unknown. Therefore, I dedicated this issue to the AI predictions of 2022.
I hope you feel excited about the new chapter of your life, and I wish you health, optimism, and success on your journey!
All best,
Alice
What do experts say about AI, robotics and automation in 2022?
👨🦲 In a lengthy interview with German business newspaper Handelsblatt, historian and best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari (pictured above) shares his views on the future of AI. He believes that
data surveillance is one of the most significant technological threats as data can be abused to manipulate citizens, and regulation is required;
democracies are best equipped to handle the downsides of artificial intelligence as it’s a complex system with a wide array of voices and opinions;
artificial intelligence is the most important technology of our time;
either China or the United States will develop the best AI models, which will subsequently grow their power;
Europe still has a chance to avoid becoming a ‘data colony’ to the AI superpowers;
there will be a massive shift in the labor market requiring training, modern education, and upskilling — however, work will not disappear.
🟥 Bloomberg asked Chinese experts on the next decade for the Asian powerhouse. Ren Yi believes that artificial technology will lead to greater technological unemployment and redistribution will be necessary. Due to its Socialist values and ancient society-centered philosophy, Ren Yi sees China as a better-equipped state to manage distribution than Western capitalist societies.
🔑 AI and data management will be key in 2022, according to business leaders. ZDNet asked several experts on their predictions for the new year and everybody agrees on the increasing necessity to work with AI and cutting-edge data technologies. Two thinkers put it poignantly:
Zakir Hussain, EY Americas IoT Leader, believes that AI services will be crucial for generating profit. Even simple AI solutions like chatbots can reduce the pressure of labor shortages and offer individualized solutions for a broad client pool.
Adam Wilson, CEO of Trifacta, believes that businesses will lose out to competitors without AI and effective data engineering. The technological advances will lead to a rise of low-code or no-code solutions that could allow people without a coding background to tailor products and client solutions.
💭 In an interview with Harvard Political Review, Liz O’Sullivan, CEO of AI company Parity, explains plenty of concerns related to bias and stereotyping in AI algorithms. She believes that artificial intelligence won’t and shouldn’t take decisions on its own in high-risk scenarios. However, she points out that there is too little research yet to grasp the extent of bias in algorithms fully. While some people claim that AI is less biased than humans, there is a risk of AI reinforcing existing stereotypes.
🤖 Pieter Abbeel, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, believes that computer vision will allow robots to advance drastically. Equipping robots with the sense of sight, they will be able to maneuver through semi-structured environments in contrast to the very limited ’ very limited and fixed settings. While Abbeel believes that robots will penetrate industries and everyday lives in the next five years, he calls AI Robotics a ‘quiet revolution’ as conventional media coverage focuses on a set of narrow examples.
AI thought leaders to follow in 2022:
Kate Crawford — researcher at Microsoft Researcher and author (‘Atlas of AI’) @katecrawford
Timnit Gebru — founder of the DAIR institute @timnitGebru
Kai-Fu Lee — investor and author (‘AI Superpowers’, ‘AI 2041) @kaifulee
Yann LeCunn — AI professor (NYU) @ylecun
Fei-Fei Li — AI professor (Stanford) @drfeifei
Ewa Luger — Director of Research Innovation Edinburgh College of Art @Ew_Luger
Trends I will monitor in 2022:
AI weapons and their investors. It doesn’t sit well with me that Spotify’s co-founder Daniel Ek announced he’d back Helsing.ai — a company that develops AI security and defense systems. Chances are that more conflicts will erupt due to migration, territorial power struggles, and climate change. Defense and arms technology should be carefully monitored.
Will the metaverse take off? The idea of the metaverse — a digital space where people can immerse themselves in — seems to be gaining traction. And this is not due to Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to rename Facebook into Meta. Sure, the company has been playing with augmented reality solutions for the workspace, but the money made in the metaverse is what got people hooked this year. I highly recommend watching this short Bloomberg documentary if you feel like you need a little more understanding: Why the Metaverse Is Fashion's Next Goldmine | The Business of Fashion Show - YouTube
Recruiting and hiring in the age of AI and applicant tracking systems. I’ve ranted enough about the difficulties surrounding digital recruiting strategies in the past. Considering the drastic shifts that are about to happen in the labor market, recruiting and hiring must adapt. I’m curious to see if HR practitioners will change job descriptions or adjust their demands towards workers.
Can digital influencers make money? When you look at the Instagram image below, you might think that it’s just another young woman posing to score a lucrative marketing deal. But Bermuda isn’t real — she’s fully animated. Considering the metaverse might work with avatars, I’m curious to see if digital animations can sell the illusion of human influencers and turn it into a profitable marketing business. I find it a little eerie, but see yourself: Bermuda (@bermudaisbae) • Instagram
I’d love to hear what you’ll be watching and which topics interest you most in 2022 — drop a comment: