'Artificial' means 'not Natural'. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is therefore not a 'Natural Intelligence'. It is not like human brains and human instincts. AI is related to machine-intelligence. Simple definition of AI is: the ability of a computer to think and learn. With AI, computers perform tasks that can be processed faster than and even more intelligently than humans, including language-processing, problem-solving, and lesson-learning.
AI is now tagged as giant turning point that comes 'once-in-a-planet's-lifetime'. AI would also impact the way we think, take decision and perform the tasks to implement those decisions. It has started unfolding the hitherto unknown roadmap for the future that we humans are destined to face together.
The recent talks on Artificial Intelligence are focussed on, would AI help in controlling climate change and global warming? It is a natural and intelligent question!
The consequences of the continued global warming and the need for the reduction of human-induced carbon dioxide emission and getting rid of fossil fuel like coal, oil and gas have been known for long. No substantive actions, however, have been taken by world community till today. The rising curve of carbon dioxide emissions continues without any downward bend. The indiscriminate development purely based on fossil fuel continues ruthlessly.
So, how AI can help in addressing the climate catastrophe that is predicted to be the 'sixth extinction' on the planet Earth. Here are some of the topics where AI would be the tool for action on climate change:
- AI can predict climate disasters, through modeling, satellite observation and data analysis .
- Melting of Himalayan glaciers and polar Icebergs can be predicted by AI10,000 times faster than a human could do it.
- Real-time mapping of deforestation can be done by AI and afforestation with help of drones can be performed by AI.
- Quantifiable measurement of carbon storage in trees and soil can be done by AI.
- AI can help in tracking reduced emissions in measurable way through digital platforms
- More waste can handled by AI and treated faster thereby avoiding going to dumping site for landfill. Waste is a big producer of methane and is responsible for 16% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
AI potential is thus amazing and even beyond the imagination of human's natural intelligence! But it also presents grave dangers in terms of not only fake and manipulated information and actions but it can also be used as double edged sword, like any other technology, for anti-social activities. Drones to drop weapons to destroy enemyinstead of dropping of seeds to plant trees is just one of the examples.
The world is poised to witness, what I call, the 'world of endless possibilities'. There is no Nobel Prize for computer science. But 2024 Nobel Prize for Physics was given, just few days back to, Prof John Hopfield, called as 'motherboard' of AI and Geoffrey Hinton, called as 'godfather' of AI. Both helped to merge Physics into Computer science. The 2024 Nobel Prize for Chemistry has also gone to the one researcher who solved the one of the toughest problems in biochemistry: predicting the structure of proteins, the building blocks of biological life by using AI.
In a way 'AI is eating away the Nobel Prizes'.
Universities would play larger roles in the AI related innovations, due to the fact that young minds can 'naturally' think differently and can 'artificially' enhance their understanding in unique way. There are already AI-clubs, AI-communities and AI-centres of excellence in the university campuses. The natural growth of artificial intelligence is happening faster!
Youth can keep the direction of growth for the constructive purposes and hope they would be able to deploy NI -Natural Intelligence for tackling Climate Change through Artificial intelligence. END