AI in Daily Life

What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence is a specific branch of computer science concerned with replicating the thought process and decision-making ability of humans through computer algorithms. There are many different branches of AI that can create and do different things. Some types complete simple tasks, while others are much more complex. Some AI programs adjust their own algorithms, and some specialized algorithms are so advanced they can beat human experts in their given fields.

Learn more about artificial intelligence.

Examples and applications of AI

So what are some examples of AI? Well, it can be almost anything. Your smartphone uses AI, as do services like digital assistants, chatbots, social media websites, and much more. Many home electronics also use AI, such as robot vacuum cleaners or security systems. And, of course, there are classic examples of auto-navigation and robotics.

Below, we’ve outlined applications in greater detail so you can understand how AI impacts everyday life.

Digital assistants

Perhaps the application used by most people would be the digital assistants on our various pieces of technology. If you have a smartphone or laptop, you probably have and use digital assistant software to some degree.

Some of the most popular digital assistants include:

Siri (Apple)
Alexa (Amazon)
Cortana (Microsoft)
Google Assistant (Google)
Bixby (Samsung)

Search engines

Another common application of AI is search engines. Search engine algorithms utilize AI to refine and show better results without the intervention of programmers. You can see this in action on Google if you search a question. You’ll see a section called “People also ask” and if you open one of those questions, it will spawn two more related questions below.

An even simpler example is Google’s auto-complete answers when you type in the search bar. An AI algorithm gathers data on what people search most often and uses that to populate predictions you can use to navigate.

Popular search engines include:

Google
Yahoo
Bing
DuckDuckGo

Social media

Social media platforms are another common way people interact with AI. All major social media platforms run off AI-powered algorithms which are designed to serve specific purposes. Most use algorithms to determine what their users like and serve more of that content, to keep the user engaged. Many also run AI algorithms to gather and store user data to use for advertising purposes.

You can train your social media algorithms to show the content you like by creating filters, or searching carefully for what you like, and purposefully interacting (liking, commenting, sharing, etc.) with things you enjoy.

Popular social media platforms include:

Facebook (Meta)
Instagram (Meta)
YouTube
TikTok

Online shopping

This is probably one of the least obvious ways people interact with AI in their daily lives. Many online shopping and ecommerce platforms use AI to streamline their customer experience in a variety of ways.

As a customer, you may experience AI through:

Personalized product recommendations based on previous shopping activity or customer profile.
Pricing optimization based on supply, demand, or previous shopping activity.
Chatbots to provide instant responses to customer service or technical issues.
Shipping and delay estimates.

As a business owner, you may consider implementing AI in the following additional ways:

Sales and demand forecasting to help you manage your inventory in the face of increased or decreased demand.
Creating customer profiles and segmentation to boost sales.
Smart analytics to show in real-time how your business is performing.

Robots

The word “robot” probably makes many people think of sci-fi movies like Star Wars or shows like Star Trek with their humanoid, intelligent robots. Though those may seem futuristic or even far-fetched, in reality, many robots already exist in our world. You may even own some, or something produced by one.

Robots are used in a myriad of fields to streamline production or keep workers safe. They handle repetitive tasks or anything deemed too dangerous for a human worker. Some examples of industrial robots include:

Aerospace: You may be familiar with the Mars rovers NASA has landed over the years. These are programmed to explore, gather samples and send transmissions back to Earth to provide data from Mars that an astronaut would be unable to obtain. Most recently, NASA sent the rover Perseverance to Mars to gather samples and search for signs of ancient life.
Manufacturing: The use of robots in assembly lines dates back to 1961, when General Motors introduced a robot to assist with welding and transporting die casings (jobs deemed too dangerous for humans). It continues to this day, streamlining production and providing safer working conditions for humans.
Hospitality: Particularly in recent years, the hospitality industry has adopted robots to help complete simple tasks and fill in for worker shortages. These can do things like check-in guests at hotels, mix drinks at cafes, deliver meals to tables in restaurants, and more.