The United States currently leads in the dynamic commercial artificial intelligence (AI) development sector in the areas of hardware, research, and growth. Companies like Uber and Lyft use the technology to predict rider demand; while Amazon, Facebook, and Wells Fargo use AI and Machine Learning for facial recognition, fraud prevention and to better understand customer habits.

What is the future of AI? Let us examine our top five predictions of how artificial intelligence will be applied in the future.

1. Revolutionized Human Resources and Recruiting

Artificial Intelligence technology will transform everyday life from the way we currently see it. As an example, machine learning technology could potentially revolutionize Human Resources responsibilities like recruiting, performance evaluation and training to name a few. AI has the ability to streamline the human resources process by relying more on the analytical processing of big data instead of individual observations that usually take up time and resources.

From a recruiting perspective, AI software can design interview questions for potential hires with a focus on the person’s professional competency for a particular job without knowing their race, gender, or ethnicity. This technology could also benefit the resume filtering process, which can be a very time-consuming and tedious process.

2. Removed Language Barriers

An immediate effect that machine learning can have from an international business standpoint is its ability to overcome language barriers. There are over 6,500 spoken languages in the world, and many of the obscure languages are spoken by demographics isolated from the global economy. Removing language barriers through technology connects and brings more communities to the global marketplace.

China recently has expressed a keen interest in machine learning. Their government has set a goal of spending 150 billion dollars to achieve global leadership in technology by 2030. China has access to more data than any other country due to its population. This will enhance its machine learning capabilities which in turn will make better predictions, enhance efficiency, increase profits, lessen labor, bring down costs, and so on.

3. Increased Efficiency and Competitive Advantage

Data analytics has been changing the basis of competition for years. Businesses are using the information to improve their core operations as well as to create new business platforms within their current structure.

However, businesses are only able to obtain and analyze a fraction of the information that would help them with revenue and profit gains. One way for commercial undertakings to obtain additional valuable information is through machine learning, which will help large businesses to remain successful and relevant in the long run.

4. Improved Road Safety

Though it is now one of the most talked-about and controversial topics of modern science, few truly understand the implications of autonomous vehicles. Traffic accidents are one of the primary causes of permanent disability in the United States and are reportedly the top five causes of death worldwide.

Currently, an average of 102 people in the United States dies in traffic-related accidents every day. Billions of dollars are being wasted annually on gasoline expended by cars that are stationary in the traffic. Autonomous vehicles have been regarded as the likely solution to address the issues of driver safety, fuel economy, and traffic reduction.

They are also expected to increase the quality of life for the elderly and the visually impaired. Statements promising the commercial release of autonomous vehicles in the near future by certain corporate moguls have been met with derision and contempt.

However, this does not slow down the rate of development of artificial intelligence, specifically of specialized algorithms for autonomous driving. The effects that autonomous vehicles will likely have on the driver and pedestrian safety, the global economy, the environment, and the quality of life will be astounding.

5. Other Unexpected Applications of AI

In the future, as AI gets smarter, we are going to have to establish better tools to enable us to understand why and how AI systems make certain decisions and what levels of risk different algorithms can deal with when making those decisions.

By having a “conversation” with the AI about its actions, we will be able to feel safer giving it the authority to make risk-sensitive decisions. Management of local public transportation infrastructure and controlling the production of currency by the Federal Reserve may be some of the tasks delegated to AI systems.

Similar to the way industrial equipment and smog test vehicles get certified, government agencies will have to be established to develop certification programs for algorithms, verifying that machine learning is an accurate representation and has low probabilities of making mistakes. Otherwise, it could have devastating effects on society.

Conclusion

The rate at which artificial intelligence and machine learning are advancing makes it impossible to predict their impact even in the near future. Their potential benefits, though, in the fields of autonomous driving, physics and neuroscience could very well define a new chapter of human existence, in which people will travel safer, know more about the universe, and transcend physical disabilities and limitations. No matter how fantastical an AI application might seem, its understanding and impact will be realized closer than it may appear.