Critical Analysis of AI Capabilities
1. Compare Hype with Actual Performance
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What You May See:
Advertisements and videos sometimes show AI as super smart and able to do everything perfectly.
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Activity:
- Find an Ad: Look for an AI commercial or article that promises near-flawless results.
- Find a Real Example: Then, check out something like a chatbot that gives funny or incorrect answers. For instance, some language translation apps make silly mistakes when they don’t understand local slang.
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Why It’s Important:
You will see the difference between grand promises and reality. This helps you spot where AI isn’t as perfect as it seems.
Resource Limits of AI Models
- Computers Need Power
For example, big AI models like those used in advanced image searches need large data centers that consume a lot of electricity.
- Data Can Be Biased
Some facial recognition tools have trouble detecting people with darker skin tones because the data they were trained on lacked diversity.
- Updates Cost Time and Money
Self-driving car software gets frequent updates to fix bugs and learn new situations (like unusual traffic rules). These updates can be expensive.
2. Don’t Let AI Make All the Decisions
- Human Choices Are Key
AI is a tool that can help with suggestions. But you, your teachers, or your parents still need to make the final call.- Example: A school might use an AI scheduling tool to plan exam times. However, teachers should still review and approve the final schedule, in case the AI overlooks events that were not in the system.
Tolerance for Error
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AI Can Be Wrong
Just like people, AI can make mistakes.- Example: Some digital assistants have accidentally sent private messages to the wrong person because they misunderstood the speaker’s voice commands.
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Checks and Balances
We need ways to catch errors. This might mean testing AI predictions or having a backup plan if AI fails.- Example: A weather prediction AI can help forecast storms, but meteorologists and local authorities always verify the information before issuing real warnings.