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Is AI making humans lazy? Here’s what UAE residents say

Dubai - AI can make us "lazy", but that only depends on how each individual is using AI.

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Today, artificial intelligence (AI) can be seen in our everyday lives - from cars to household items and even in classroom learning.
It is clear that, since the arrival of AI, the way we've lived our lives has changed, considering it provides us with fast answers to problems we don't have to memorise or solve ourselves anymore. The question is: does the ease that AI gives humans, also make us lazier? Is it making people use less brain power, causing us to be too dependent on technology? 
AI expert Peer Mohaideen Sait, founder and CEO of Black Cube Solutions, believes AI can make us "lazy", but that only depends on how each individual is using AI. "Data is data. How you choose to see that data and use it still requires human choice. It is about how you innovate with it. Human interaction still remains where AI is concerned. But what it does is it gives you an alternative option," he said. 
"Does it make us think less? Well yes, it can make us lazy; but again, that is down to the person. If used correctly, it is very useful. It is helping propel so many industries forward, for instance, the healthcare industry. Today, healthcare professionals can visualise things through AI, like complicated surgeries. This was impossible before. 
So AI doesn't just help lives "it is great for learning and development. You can use it to aid you in decision making. It's about using it when it is needed, not for the sake of it." 
Raphael Nolden, the founder of Amy - an AI tutor for students - is more optimistic about its rapid adoption. He believes that even though AI will take over many roles occupied by humans today, we will continue to innovate. 
"Our lives and society will change and we will do things we can't even imagine today. AI will take over many aspects of the work we currently do, but we will have a symbiotic relationship with it. AI will do the mundane, repetitive things we don't enjoy and this will allow us to spend more of our time on the interesting, more human parts of our work," Nolden said.  
"This will completely redefine many jobs, but not remove them completely. Let's take a teacher as an example. At the moment, teachers spend a lot of time doing tasks they don't like, such as marking and reporting. AI will take care of all this and give them more time to do the human aspects of their job like creating amazing classes, inspiring their students and guiding them through life as they grow up." 
Sait said that a wider adaption of AI will give humans an opportunity to grow other parts of their brain, while AI solves problems that we don't have to. "Another concern is that our brains will start to waste away. At school, we spent a lot of time memorising information. Now we have more information in just our pockets, so we can learn not to solve real, mundane problems and develop other parts of our brain instead.
"As technology takes care of the simple tasks, our brains will develop their higher functions and humans will continue to progress and take on new challenges which can only solved with the help of AI. Meanwhile, our creativity will ensure that we invent thousands of new jobs so we won't get a chance to get lazy."

 UAE's recent developments in AI

'AI unlocks customer loyalty in UAE'

The top global and local UAE brands are unlocking the potential of customer relationship management (CRM) through Artificial Intelligence (AI), eCommerce and machine learning with a common goal to retain the customers and engage in long-term loyalty.

Dubai hospital conducts first robotic-assisted knee surgeries

A Dubai hospital announced that it has successfully conducted the first two robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgeries in the region involving partial and total knee replacements. An Emirati national, Ahmed Al Rais, 47, was the first patient who had partial knee surgery on January 8 after suffering from knee osteoarthritis for two years. 

Dubai Police adopts strategic AI plans 

By 2031, the Dubai Police will completely rely on artificial intelligence for its services, according to top officials. As per the strategic plan, by 2031, artificial intelligence (AI) methods will be used 100 percent in all areas of police including security, forecasting of crime, traffic accidents and developing the best techniques and AI tools that serve the needs of the people, locally and globally. It will also be utilised to enhance skills of officials to deal with AI facilities in all police departments.

AI to help students recognise their skills 

University students in the UAE can now use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help them successfully transition into the working world. Using a built-in AI-powered skills gap analysis software, an online platform TrainingCalender.com, will tell students what skills they need to build on to pursue their chosen career path. Partnered with more than 80 global online training providers, the platform will also suggest what training a person requires to fit a certain job role, with discounts on such courses also available.

AI will help Dubai deal with med emergencies 

Dubai will soon get an Emergency and Crisis Management Nerve Centre that will use artificial intelligence to save lives. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) recently signed an agreement with Avanza Solutions to implement the citywide system. As part of the agreement, Avanza's smart city medical management platform 'Acuity' will give the DHA perspective of what is happening across the city. 

UAE speeds up work on 5G infrastructure

In December 2017, UAE's telecom regulator announced the launch of IMT-2020, known as 5G, and asked mobile network operators in the country to start preparing for the fifth-generation network, which will revolutionise Internet usage in the UAE. Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced that licenced mobile telecommunication operators would begin preparing infrastructure for 5G from in early 2018. 
 
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com