The new Apple TV is the latest example of artificial intelligence, however limited, creeping into our everyday lives, and Mike Weston, CEO of data science consultancy Profusion, says we better get used to it, but we shouldn’t expect the Terminator anytime soon.
The Apple TV, launched at the tech giants marquee event on Wednesday, has Apple’s voice-activated artificial intelligence Siri built in. The remote comes with a Siri button which lets users find content from Apple’s library and search within shows.
For instance Siri can be asked to find a particular actor’s cameo in a movie or search across multiple content apps and give you all your viewing options on a single screen.
Whilst anyone with an iPhone know’s a global takeover by Siri is unlikely fears about the future of AI have made the headlines. But Weston has moved to dampen those fears and remind people that AI is the future – and present.
He said: “When most people think of artificial intelligence their mind conjures up images of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator. However, the truth is that artificial intelligence is now all around us even in Apple TV.
“Siri runs on machine learning – complex algorithms that adapt to new information without the need to be rewritten – a form of artificial intelligence. So too are the recommendations you receive for TV show or movies.
During the event apple also unveiled the new iPhone 6s and iPad Pro
“Data science provides the backbone to machine learning. The more data scientists experiment with and develop these algorithms the more accurate and powerful they will become.
“We’re only at the start of the journey, artificial intelligence will soon be what we rely on to run self-driving cars, the Internet of Things and smart cities.
“In the not so distant future, data science techniques such as machine learning will play a crucial role in all our lives, businesses and the economy in general.”