Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1489442
5.12.19 12 OPINION 5.1.2023 Alexiei Dingli Prof Alexiei Dingli is a Professor of AI at the University of Malta and has been conducting research and working in the field of AI for more than two decades, assisting different companies to implement AI solutions. He forms part of the Malta.AI task-force, set up by the Maltese government, aimed at making Malta one of the top AI countries in the world AI roundup for 2022 A rtificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way since its first in- troduction in the 1950s. It is used in several industries, from transportation to healthcare and education, to improve efficien- cy, accuracy, and productivity. While AI has brought about nu- merous positive developments, it has also raised concerns about its potential negative impacts, including job displacement and the potential for misuse. As 2022 comes to a close, it's worth re- flecting on AI's positive and neg- ative developments that have oc- curred over the past 12 months. One of AI's most significant positive developments has been its impact on healthcare. AI has significantly improved patient care by accurately di- agnosing diseases and predict- ing potential health issues. For example, IBM's Watson Health has been able to accurately diagnose and treat cancer pa- tients with a very high success rate. In addition, using AI in electronic medical records led to error reductions and im- proved overall quality of pa- tient care. Another area where AI has made significant strides is transportation. Self-driving vehicles are becoming more common on the roads, and data shows that these vehicles have significantly lower acci- dent rates than humans. Stud- ies show that 94% of serious crashes are due to human error. Furthermore, autonomous cars have a much lower risk of caus- ing accidents caused by human error, such as rear-ending an- other car due to inattention, compared to traditional vehi- cles. ese types of accidents will never happen again with self-driving cars. AI also had a significant im- pact on education. Online learning platforms that use AI to personalise learning experi- ences have become increasing- ly popular. Data shows that students us- ing these platforms have high- er retention rates and perform better on exams than tradition- al classroom learning. For ex- ample, a study by the Universi- ty of Malta found that students using an AI-powered online learning platform experienced a maximum improvement of 16% compared to traditional methods. In the business world, AI has been used to process, analyse and interpret large amounts of data, leading to more efficient and effective decision-making. Companies like Google and Amazon have been using AI to analyse customer data and improve their products and services. In addition, AI has automated specific tasks, free- ing time for employees to focus on more critical work. e financial industry has also seen significant benefits from the use of AI. It improves risk assessment and fraud de- tection, leading to a reduction in financial losses. For exam- ple, JPMorgan Chase has im- plemented an AI system that can analyse over 100 million fi- nancial transactions daily, sig- nificantly reducing fraudulent activity. In the agriculture industry, AI has been used to optimise crop yields and improve the efficien- cy of farming practices. For example, using AI-powered drones to monitor crops has al- lowed farmers to detect issues early on and take corrective ac- tion, leading to increased crop products. In the retail industry, AI has improved customer service and personalised shopping experiences. Companies like eBay and Amazon have imple- mented AI-powered chatbots to assist customers with their purchases and answer any questions. In addition, AI has been used to analyse custom- er data and make personalised product recommendations, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Finally, AI has been used in manufacturing to improve op- erations. Companies like Gen- eral Electric and Toyota have implemented AI systems to monitor production process- es and identify areas for im- provement. It led to increased efficiency and waste reduction, resulting in cost savings for the company. Regarding the adverse devel- opments of AI, one primary concern is the potential loss of jobs due to automation. Ac- cording to the European Un- ion's labour statistics, the num- ber of jobs replaced by AI has steadily increased over the past year. While some argue that em- ployers can retrain displaced workers for new jobs, others worry about the long-term economic consequences of such widespread job loss. Another concern is the po- tential use of AI for malicious purposes. As AI becomes more advanced, companies are start- ing to use it for facial recog- nition and surveillance tasks. While these technologies can have legitimate uses, there is a risk that governments or pri- vate companies could abuse them to invade people's privacy or even control and manipulate individuals. In conclusion, AI has seen positive and negative develop- ments in the past year. While there are certainly concerns about the likely negative con- sequences of AI, it is clear that it has the potential to bring about significant benefits in a wide range of industries. As we move forward, we must con- tinue to monitor and address AI's negative impacts while embracing its many positive developments. It will be crucial for policy- makers, industry leaders, and all citizens to work together to ensure that the benefits derived from AI reach everyone while mitigating potential negative consequences. By carefully considering the potential im- pacts of AI and taking appro- priate steps to address them, we can harness the power of this technology to create a bet- ter future for all. AI in healthcare covers a wide range of assistance to health systems and workers