In 1900 you ask someone:
Is it possible for a machine to fly in the sky?
Is it possible for a machine to fly up to the moon?
Is it possible for a machine to bring a man up to the moon, let him walk around, and safely come back?
If you had asked any individual in 1900 these questions, you would most likely get a strange look, followed by a no to all three questions. Some may have heard about plans to fly a plane, which they could somehow imagine, but flying up to the moon? That’s just out of the question.
In 1903, The Wright brothers defied the odds and successfully flew and landed the first airplane. Just 55 years later, the USSR sent the first satellite into orbit. Just 13 years later the USA sent the first man up to the moon. This just goes to show how technology is changing, and how we cannot fathom the changes that are coming within our own lifetime, because they seem too far out of reach.
One interesting development, which I think will shape our future way of life is the AI driven companion. Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are to artificial companions, as the Wright Brother’s flight were to flight. Consider the possibilities that open up when we combine virtual reality, augmented reality, and AI companions.
One group that will significantly benefit from these advancements is elderly individuals. By 2060, 1 in 5 individuals will be over 60 years old. The loss of social ties and social roles in the elderly means that this population group is prone to depression and associated health problems. Tech start-ups such as Intuition Robotics are looking to combat loneliness by providing AI companions for elderly. Although the products are still in their infancy, I would like to imagine that by the time we are 65+ years old, we will be able to actually see holograms of the companion through augmented reality, or that we will be able to put on virtual reality goggles and actually see and communicate with our AI companion through the various programs that will be available for VR by that time.
What technology do you think will be developed for the aging demographics to combat loneliness? Do you think AI companions will play a role in everyday life?
References:
Michaels, V. (2017, March 07). Public Access – Artificial Intelligence Robot Companion for the Elderly. Retrieved October 03, 2017, from https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/17/artificial-intelligence-robot-companion-for-the-elderly/
Dunbar, B. (2015, April 16). NASA Glenn’s Historical Timeline. Retrieved October 03, 2017, from https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/history/timeline.html
Thanks for sharing, Interesting perspective! I do agree with you on that, AI will definitely be therefor elderly people, this is one of the main “products” that AI will offer in the future. However, the more you think about it, the more its scary. What we know as social ties have huge impact on our life, and our generation already been affected by the change (computers, mobile, apps). The next stage will be a AI which might be or best friend. Although it has a positive impact (such as the case you described), I am really concerned how our children life will look like. Some things cannot be replaced, and friendships is one of them.
Hi Neri, i think you’re right in that our child life could also change significantly. Especially with children that have working parents. It’s possible that AI could take over some roles that nannys/babysitters had if the children are over a certain age.