In the intriguing year 2023, one phrase resonated strongly: "Artificial intelligence will take your job." In this entry, we will not seek to affirm its veracity, but rather explore different perspectives that shed light on what happened last year and what we can expect in 2024. We will discover how to make the most of artificial intelligence without losing sight of the essential human contribution, as our CEO reminds us with the motto "Humans Over Technology" 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that uses computer and machine processing to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind. Through a machine learning process, AI can perform different tasks and improve iteratively. Examples of AI are: expert systems, artificial neural networks, Deep learning, robotics or intelligent agents. 

In 2023, AI took a huge leap with the attention ChatGPT garnered and its amazing responses to multi-topic conversations. It should be noted that this application uses a technology that is part of a specific branch of artificial intelligence, known as generative AI. It uses a machine learning model to learn patterns and relationships from a large set of data, and subsequently uses them to generate content such as conversations, stories, images, videos, music, among others. Generative AI can be trained for different fields, such as human language learning, programming, culture, art or any complex topic. It is no surprise that, according to statistics from search engines such as Google, the word “chatgpt” has been popular in 2023, reaching maximum search interests on several days in December. 

Challenges of generative AI

The arrival of applications like ChatGPT brought generative AI closer to users who are outside the technological sphere, creating expectations and perhaps some fear about the endless uses that can be given to this type of intelligence. The latter should encourage us to analyze how to address the adoption of this technology by users who are unaware of the limitations, biases and scope of generative AI.

Being a relatively new technology, some unexpected responses are to be expected. Even if the generated content seems convincing, it may be based on erroneous or manipulated information. One of the challenges of generative AI is recognizing the reliability of an information source, since data can come from different sources without the authenticity of the information taken being validated. Other challenges to discuss generative AI are issues related to the management of copyright and intellectual property, bias, discrimination, ethics, legal and regulatory issues, data protection, privacy and security.

Generative AI in companies

The wide diffusion of generative AI led to questions about its role in the work environment and the possibility of replacing some jobs performed by humans, since its use could represent an optimization of many processes and cost reduction. However, it is not as simple as it seems. Companies must identify where and how the adoption of this technology is feasible, align it with the company's strategy, define a budget for expenses for specialized AI services and, in addition, educate the organization to use it in the most appropriate way. Improper use could put the organization at risk.

The phase in which generative AI finds itself invites us to use it as a support tool to optimize processes, increase productivity and gain a competitive advantage with its use. Some companies have even focused the use of AI on creating new businesses or sources of income. According to a Forbes study, 97% of entrepreneurs believe that ChatGPT will positively impact their business operations and AI is expected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, more than the current output of China and India together.

AI for workers

In this scenario, professionals are challenged to continually adapt to new technologies and acquire skills that allow them to make the most of the potential of artificial intelligence. Training in areas such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision becomes essential to staying relevant in an ever-evolving job market.

Adaptability becomes a key skill in this new work paradigm. Professionals must not only learn new technical skills, but also understand how to integrate artificial intelligence into existing business processes. Collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence systems becomes a crucial aspect to maximize efficiency and productivity.

Furthermore, ethics and responsibility in the use of artificial intelligence are also highlighted as areas of focus. Professionals should be familiar with the ethical principles that govern the creation and use of algorithms, ensuring that the implementation of artificial intelligence in companies is done ethically and responsibly.

AI predictions for 2024

Finally, let's talk a little about what we can expect from AI in 2024. This will be a year of rediscovery of artificial intelligence, where companies will focus on thinking about the true benefit of incorporating this technology into their processes, as well as better understand its advantages and limitations. Some predictions in the use of AI for 2024 are:

• • The use of AI at the business level will increase: AI applications focused on the specific needs of companies will begin to be used, leaving aside general models to use personalized models that generate more precise and relevant responses.

• • Open source AI models will become more competitive: Open source models are getting stronger and are expected to outperform closed/private models for select tasks by 2024.

• • Control over the use of AI will be a priority in several governments around the world: in 2023, the first proposal for the regulation of the use of AI was announced, presented by the European Union (EU AI Law). It establishes clear limits on the risk levels of AI and prohibited uses such as emotion recognition in the workplace. It is expected that during 2024 more countries will establish guidelines to adopt and develop this technology.

• • Integration of multimodal generative AI into the real world: This type of AI is characterized by its ability to simultaneously interpret and process various types of data such as text, images and sounds. This approach better reflects the way human beings interact with the world. This type of AI can generate more accurate and context-aware responses, similar to what we perceive in everyday life. Some use cases include improved patient care and diagnoses, personalized sales experiences, or interactive and adaptive learning.

• • AI Safety and Ethics: More AI organizations are expected to work collaboratively to establish robust safety protocols to ensure ethical use of this technology.

• • Other points that will also be relevant this year are topics related to copyright, systematic biases, ethics, legal and regulatory standards, data protection, privacy and security.

As AI evolves, it challenges us to rethink not only our business and industrial practices but also our interactions with the world, nature, and the beings that inhabit it. The potential of AI is enormous and its impact is just beginning. By staying informed, flexible and proactive, we can harness the power of AI to build a more efficient, innovative and inclusive future.