2023 was the year artificial intelligence transitioned from a technical niche to mainstream fascination.
Technologies like ChatGPT brought AI to the masses, eliciting varied emotional responses from enthusiasm to concern. Is AI a force for good? What future developments can we expect from AI tools? 2024 is likely to be the year we find out – here are four predictions of where I believe AI is heading.
AI that saves energy, money and protects infrastructure
AI holds immense potential to address societal challenges in the UK and around the world. We can expect to see many more examples of AI being developed to benefit the public and society. We will see many more solutions that help us respond to natural disasters, floods and drought. Technologies to improve our food security, to help people save money and spend smarter, and to enable better management of our national infrastructure will become increasingly mainstream.
2024 will see ten teams of innovators compete to win the inaugural £1 million Manchester Prize by developing new AI technologies designed specifically to benefit society. The teams will be awarded £100k and we can expect to see new AI technologies coming to the fore related to our energy needs, supporting the environment and improving how we look after our national infrastructure.
AI will play a greater role in advancing scientific discoveries
New technologies have always impacted the advancement of scientific discoveries. This is no different with AI. Recently the power of AI was on display as Google DeepMind researchers discovered 2.2 million crystal structures, which will open the door to progress in renewable energy and advanced computation.
This huge feat has also sparked a significant expansion in the knowledge and understanding of the materials available for us to use in engineering and scientific research. In regard to scientific research, it’s the innovation sprouting from machine learning algorithms that has led to the discovery of new antibiotics.
The ability for AI to identify new, more efficient, more sustainable, materials far surpasses traditional approaches. Consumers may not see these benefits in the next 12-months, but it will certainly be playing a role in the research and development of new products that will make their way to market in the near future.