"We're at the beginning of a golden age of AI." Jeff Bezos
Generative AI
changing the world…fast
Generative AI
changing the world…fast
by Carol Ingley, president
Media Mogul Enterprises
Key words and phrases: generative AI, multimodal systems, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Microsoft, Bing, Google, Bard, Apple, Amazon, winners in generative AI
AI for the Masses
Generative AI is finally here for the masses. While we’re just at the beginning of the generative AI journey, it’s everything, so far, that it promised to be — fast, fun and the great equalizer.
Before getting into the ins and outs of generative AI, here’s a query example from asking one of the generative AI chatbots, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to: Create one joke about robots.
The immediate answer: Why did the robot go on a diet? Because he had too many mega-bytes. Not bad! Lest one think there is some super creative power within the AI data upon which ChatGPT draws, the same query got the exact same response the next day.
That repetitive response indicates we’re at the early stages of AI. The beauty of AI is that it evolves over time. It will get better, a lot better.
But just what is generative AI?
What is Generative AI?
In a nutshell, generative AI systems generate content from huge databases. The systems keep learning in a variety of ways. A key element to this ability to learn is the employment of transformers, a type of machine learning.
Generative AI can generate text in the form of articles, taglines, poems, and songs as well as generate art, photos, and video. These are just some sample content types. Users are themselves coming up with different types of applications. That’s the fun of AI.
Another way to define generative AI is to simply say that the systems are for everyone with a PC or mobile device connected to the internet. According to OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, its mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence—AI systems that are generally smarter than humans—benefits all of humanity.”
Biggest Change since the Internet
Many are saying that generative AI is the biggest change in the personal computer (PC) since the internet became popular in the mid-1990s.
Bill Gates, in a discussion with Forbes, sees the PC, with its incorporation of AI, to be in its fourth stage. The PC without a graphical interface (text commands), the PC with a graphical interface (Mac and Windows) and the PC with the internet were the first three stages.
OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT launched in November 2022. It was a sensation from day one. Growth was exponential, attracting more than 100 million users in only two months. That’s a record in high-tech roll-outs.
In addition, to make the system even more useful, it was recently announced that developers can create their own plug-ins which will allow customization for a specified market. As it turns out, some companies would like to integrate plugins into their products, according to a March 23, 2023, OpenAI announcement. It is all about customizing the experience for the user.
Companies that have already developed plug ins include Instacart, Shopify, and Slack.
Three Major Players
No one quite knows who or how many, but there’s agreement that the generative AI space with get filled with lots of entrants. Generative AI is so disruptive that new giants in business may emerge.
For now, it’s just the beginning. At this starting point, there are three major players in generative AI: OpenAI with Chat GPT, Microsoft Bing with ChatGPT and Google Bart.
As one can see, there are interrelationships among these players. OpenAI rolled out first with Chat GPT in late 2022. Then, two months later, Microsoft came out with a chatbot as part of its Bing search engine. This chatbot is based on ChatGPT and is connected to the Bing search engine. The Bing AI chatbot itself says its name is Sydney. As it turns out, this was ithe chatbot’s name during its development and it’s unclear whether it will stick. Microsoft is a heavy investor in OpenAI. Its arrangement with OpenAI allows for Microsoft’s use of ChatGPT.
Google’s chatbot is called Bard and was released in March 2023. It currently is in test mode with a limited number of users. While it is playing catch-up to Microsoft’s Bing, don’t rule out a creative and dynamic approach by Google that gets noticed.
Important, Fast and Yes, Limited
While generative AI is an important new tool, plus it’s lightening fast, it must be kept in mind that generative AI is a tool in research, a tool to help generate content and a tool to increase one’s own knowledge. That’s it – it’s a tool. It doesn’t replace the depth of original thinking and original content that comes from humans. Still, there are and will be areas where AI content will be and is used without much human input.
The word artificial must be remembered in the term artificial intelligence. While these AI systems draw conclusions, and give answers fast, by sorting through trillions of data points in a flash, the answers provided are only as good as the data the AI system reviews. As Elon Musk said when, as it turned out, there were too many robots on the assembly line at Tesla, “Humans are underrated.” He confessed that “Excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake.”
Multimodal is Coming
Having text-based generative AI is powerful, but there’s a lot more coming. It’s all about different generative modes.
Mode is defined as a particular form or variety of something. Multimodal is coming in AI. These multimodal AI systems will include images, video, and sound along with text.
There are other ways that AI is going to expand its footprint. One example: AI will expand into different modes of computing. Need help writing an email? Generative AI has you covered. Microsoft and Google plan to integrate generative AI into many of their products.
Really cool stuff is on its way to the masses.
And the Big Winner in Generative AI Will Be….
There will be many big winners in generative AI, given how pervasive AI is forecasted to be. In particular, niche markets will arise as AI is customized to fit the needs of those specific markets. Already, dating apps use AI. It appears to appeal and add value to their user bases.
Ultimately, though, it’s pretty obvious that there will be four very big winners in AI in the U.S.: Microsoft, Google, Apple and Amazon.
Having search engines has put Microsoft (with Bing) and Google at the forefront of AI development. Apple and Amazon, who have invested in AI technology with Siri and Alexa, respectively, will not be far behind down the line. Right now, they are scrambling to have some kind of competition to compete with the likes of ChatGPT.
The recent successes of AI caused Elon Musk to throw his hat into the ring. According to an interview in Fox News, Musk said, ““I’m going to start something which I call TruthGPT or a maximum truth-seeking AI that tries to understand the nature of the universe.” Its official name, for now, is X.AI Corp.
And the impact on jobs and the economy? The economy is expected to grow under the engine of AI. Jobs will be lost but jobs will also be created. It’s the skill sets that are needed that will change.
Ultimately, AI will lead to more efficiency at work. Most impacted will be jobs that are repetitive and formulaic.
And, hopefully, AI will lead to a lot more fun at work as well.
Finally, it should be noted that generative AI will change the economics of the internet. How much it changes those economics will only be obvious over time.
One thing is certain. It’s a brave new world with plenty of change on the way. AI is the ultimate accelerator.
About the Author: Carol Ingley, president, Media Mogul Enterprises, is a strategist, technologist, author and finance/marketing consultant.
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