Research on the effects of artificial intelligence focuses on the negative effects of this revolution. Many fear their jobs being stolen by robots.
Artificial intelligence or AI relies primarily on data, or information inputs. AI generated thousands of jobs for young people. Everything in AI depends on data. So the development of AI applications will require more data input and update. Giant tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Samsung are increasingly relying on outsourcing data entry to employees.
Educational systems in most Arab countries lack technology courses. The scientific disciplines and curricula are out of touch with the AI revolution. Many Western universities and institutes specialize in automated systems. Some basic AI systems exceed human capabilities. Millions of young people in the Arab world must not remain isolated from these rapid developments.
AI is not only about automated services but also fields like epidemiology. Automated machines are able to explore the expected spread of viruses with extreme precision. A large project being developed by Microsoft excelled in this area. There is also an automated system that tracks the sound of fire by a set of sensors to identify the source of shots and alert the authorities within 45 seconds of trigger pressure. The system, called ShotSpotter, monitors shots, using 15 to 20 sound sensors per cubic mile, detecting the distinctive sound of shots. ShotSpotter measures the time it takes to the sound to reach each sensor and its algorithms detect the location of the incident in an area of up to 25 meters, BBC reported. The gunfire locator’s machine-learning algorithms confirm that the sound is actually of a gunshot, counting the number of shots. The police use the information to determine whether they will deal with a single attacker or a group and whether the perpetrators carry automatic weapons or conventional firearms. About 90 cities, most of them in the United States, are using the service.
Though it found its way to the field of war and weapons development, AI also benefits the healthcare sector.
With the exception of the UAE, Arab countries did not invest in AI. The technology emerged as far back as the mid-1950s. Today, the contribution of AI to the global economy is astronomical. One academy estimated the contribution to hit $ 15.7 trillion by 2030, exceeding China and India’s combined GDP. The global economy is currently worth $ 74 trillion and will increase by about 14 percent by 2030.
With educational systems that are compatible with the technological revolution, AI can offer promising opportunities. To save millions of youth from unemployment and precariousness, the Arab world has to catch up with the accelerating development in technologies.
