AI – Two Letters, many meanings

Over the past few years, two letters have sparked a revolution, akin to many, which  have experienced both triumphs and challenges. These two letters carry diverse meanings, some of which are unequivocally understood, while others remain somewhat ambiguous.

In the context of technology, the letters AI, for myself, have come to encompass two distinct meanings: Automated Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence. These two concepts hold vastly different perspectives and present intriguing possibilities across many realms. This includes timetabling, a subject close to my heart.

Automated Intelligence.

There are certain tasks which can be automated with the right tools. In timetabling, there are elements which take far too many human resources, but computer systems can easily take care of these tasks. One is very simple. Each activity or event which requires students attached can have this with automated rules.

Suppose you have 5,000 activities, each with 200 students to associate. This represents a substantial number of clicks, which constitutes a significant undertaking by a human member of staff. Consequently, timetabling computer systems have devised various methods to address this challenge. 

The most rudimentary program employs automatic assignment of students to individual activities, records any conflicts, and subsequently reports them. This process is executed in mere microseconds by the most efficient IT systems. This approach seamlessly integrates the automated process with the intelligence to comprehend and report conflicts. Here is the benefits of 

Automated Intelligence can cover a wide range of applications. By executing predefined rules, constraints, and specific criteria, IT systems can efficiently perform numerous tasks. Timetabling systems utilise these solutions to automate repetitive tasks. This automation liberates human employees from these tasks, enabling them to focus on more complex analysis, data interpretation, and the creation of more optimal timetables.

But is that all Automated Intelligence could do? Well, of course, the answer is no. Automated Intelligence has been around for a long time in many forms; remember the good old television recorders (the tape versions). Well, now we have recording boxes which can record up to four or five programmes and just about make sure you don’t miss something. 

Automated Intelligence helps people in many aspects of life; it has made some people’s quality of life improve and helped them break free of four walls. Take the simple wheelchair. A device which for a long time required human intervention. Now we have devices which allow the user to drive their own chair, giving them a form of freedom. 

Then there are cars and the modern changes which enhance both performance and safety. Automated lights, intelligent displays, features which have enhanced the human experience. The improvements continue at a pace, but now there is a new element.

For myself, there is now a fine line where some Automated Intelligence has become Artificial Intelligence, and there is the rise of another element of Artificial Intelligence itself. It’s knowing where one ends and the other starts. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Artificial Intelligence has been the subject of many science fiction books and films, some long before the real Artificial Intelligence emerged. In the classic film Metropolis, at one point, a robot is constructed and brought to life, taking human form. It has a form of Artificial Intelligence, so to speak, long before the words came out. Many other books and films often show us the dark side of Artificial Intelligence, some where computers take over the world or robots bent on destroying everything in their path. Two films come to mind, Terminator and 2001:A Space Odyssey. In Terminator, we see a computer system employ robots to terminate humans, whereas the computer HAL in 2001:A Space Odyssey becomes paranoid that its humans will fail their mission. It finally makes a decision to remove them to ensure the mission is successful. Both films give a very bleak view of Artificial Intelligence.

Although Artificial Intelligence seems to have appeared in sci-fi, there have been some notable people who have both studied and challenged its use and abilities.

In 1949, Alan Turing came up with an interesting Artificial Intelligence test. The Turing Test is legendary in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Turing designed a test which was a practical (and pretty fun) way to determine if a computer has achieved human levels of intelligence. Turing called it the imitation game. If a computer using text-only chat could convince a human that it’s a real person, then it passes the test. Simple in theory, but nearly impossible in practice.

The idea came from an old Victorian game in which an interrogator puts questions to a man and woman in a separate room who reply with typewritten notes. The aim is to determine which is the man and which is the woman. Turing’s test replaces the man with a computer running a programme designed to deceive the questioner about its true identity. Will the interrogator be able to determine which is the woman?

Over the years, Artificial Intelligence has become powerful, but has it been able to pass the Turing test? There is a rise in the new ‘Bots’ which can try and hold a conversation like a human. Some of these attempts are there to help people to a degree. Some questions still require a human to sort out the problem, and some people can see that. However, some people are being taken in by these new Bots. 

In this context, Artificial Intelligence presents both utility and division, potentially veering towards the realm of science fiction. As technology advances, its potential misuse and widespread adoption may have increasing concerns. The growth of Artificial Intelligence in certain domains raises valid concerns. It possesses the capability to compose books, music, and even create films. However, it begs the question: should it do so? What if it recreates a new Sherlock Holmes novel or Mozart work? Is that ethically acceptable? Will it displace human work rather than augment it? Should Artificial Intelligence solely be employed for beneficial purposes? 

In terms of timetabling, how can Artificial Intelligence help? The automated side is well documented now and clearly is an aid. What is the difference? Again, it comes down to rules, constraints, and processes. Is that automated or artificial? Without human intervention, the timetabling system is just basically dumb. But give it the rules and constraints, letting it deal with data, it’s a form of artificial intelligence. It could run thousands of checks against scheduling activities, resolving clashes without humans having to spend hours, if not days, trying to find that elusive ultimate space. It won’t solve everything and it may well just report what is happening, but it’s an aid.

Where else could Artificial Intelligence best be deployed? Cybercrime has become a pervasive issue, posing significant risks to individuals and organisations alike. Artificial Intelligence has been employed on both sides of this conflict, using it to breach security systems and thwart attempts to breach them. Each level increases in its complexity in both the fight and defence.

Here is where Artificial Intelligence can make a contribution to help. It can also be used to save lives, becoming the eyes of a doctor far away, helping to perform surgery. Could it help students explore the past or just aid them in learning? And of course, it is increasingly helping in space exploration, itself heading closer towards the sci-fi realm.

There is also a blending of both Intelligences in certain areas, for example, the motor industry. Cars are becoming safer, alerting drivers, making the decision to stop, tracking our journey, and more. Even now driving themselves, like some sci-fi films have shown. Is this the part of the AI’s to embrace?

Conclusion

As mentioned, the term “AI” encompasses a wide range of applications and implications. While one form of Automated Intelligence can be clearly beneficial and almost indispensable in many contexts, the other form, Artificial Intelligence, presents the potential for both harm and assistance. 

As we all can see, chatbots appear everywhere now, helping as the first line of contact. Even phone calls now have them, and I do my own Turing test to check. One line I often use to check is from a favourite film; the line is “ Broadsword Calling Danny Boy.” Yes, I do hear Richard Burton. If I get someone saying ‘What did you say?’ I know it’s human; otherwise, well, they go no further.

Even writing now has ‘help’, Artificial Intelligence rewriting your thoughts to improve, enhance, or do something else. There is in this piece a paragraph that I allowed the writing tool to ‘Make Professional’. That is to allow Artificial Intelligence to take over. Which one, I won’t say.

In the realm of timetabling, Automated Intelligence holds immense significance, while Artificial Intelligence offers distinct advantages that contribute to its usefulness. These tools empower human interaction, facilitating its positive impact rather than diminishing it. 

The outcome of these AI’s, is, for me, encompassed in how we humans design, control, and employ such concepts. As it is often said, sci-fi is part science and part of the dream of a future. AI is fast becoming sci-fi of the past.