167. AI, AI, Everywhere | AI, AI, 無所不在
– Musings of Dr. Jamie C. Hsu, 1.24.2025
No matter where we go or what we do, we encounter references to AI (Artificial Intelligence) in magazines, movies, news, social media discussions, and academic conferences. Some of us get excited about the capability and potential of AI, some are fearful of its unknown consequences, and some are confused by its fast developments and applications.
Most of us have experienced basic forms of AI in our lives. Google Search uses AI to answer many simple questions we have. It tells us the meaning of medical terms and diagnostic reports, compares different product features, and weighs the pros and cons of different product options. AI can be our personal assistant or agent, constructing an agenda for a meeting or trip, or proposing a delightful and healthy meal menu for us.
At a higher level, AI can interpret a poem or summarize a stack of long articles for our enjoyment. It can carry out interesting and intellectual conversations with us to stimulate our minds and even soothe our emotions. In education, AI tools are becoming tutors that help many students learn in a more personalized and less intimidating way.
In the business world, AI is helping people to find suppliers, improve meeting efficiency and communication effectiveness, or even speed up the discovery of new composite materials and medical drugs. We are all seeing and experiencing the capability and influence of AI in our daily lives, some pleasant and some scary.
With the massive amounts of data and information available, along with new language capabilities, AI frees humans from many routine and rudimentary tasks, and this allows us to pursue more creative and empathetic work. Understanding AI and using our own creativity can be an exciting way of living our lives. This is similar to taming a wild horse and riding it comfortably to explore the wilderness and reach frontiers.
While AI is advancing at a lightning and somewhat scary speed, we must learn to live with it and use it properly. It is said that future winners in business and life are those who can develop their own AI, and apply various AI tools judiciously and effectively. A good example is how people are combining AI and Blockchain in material supply and financial management to avoid errors and fraud. This allows the achievement of unprecedented automation and authenticity.
But one question that really intrigues me is the power and superiority of Creature Intelligence. How is intelligence built in the tiny brains of creatures like birds, fish, and children? Who taught the little weave bird to weave such a beautiful and intricate nest? How can a migrating fish or bird navigate hundreds and even thousands of miles of treacherous journey to return to its birthplace? How does a child prodigy remember the music and play a masterpiece piano concerto?
I doubt if AI can ever achieve such Creature Intelligence. We’ll see.
AI, AI, 無所不在 (2025/1/24)
-作者 許俊宸博士
-中譯 薛乃綺
無論我們去哪裡、做什麼，都能看到 AI(人工智慧)的蹤影。從雜誌、電影、新聞、社群媒體，甚至是學術會議，到處都有 AI 的話題。有些人對 AI 的強大能力和無限可能性感到興奮；有些人則擔心 AI 會帶來難以預測的影響；還有些人乾脆直接放空，因為 AI 發展得實在太快，讓人眼花撩亂，跟不上節奏。
其實，我們大多數人早就不知不覺地在日常生活中使用 AI 了。Google 搜尋就是個好例子，幫我們解答各種疑難雜症，解釋醫學名詞、分析診斷報告、比較各種產品的優缺點，甚至幫忙決定到底該買哪款手機才不會後悔。AI 甚至可以當我們的貼心助理，安排會議、規劃旅行行程，甚至推薦一份美味又健康的餐點菜單，讓我們吃得開心又安心。
再進階一點，AI 甚至能幫我們解讀詩歌、總結一大疊長篇文章，讓我們用最短的時間獲取關鍵資訊。更厲害的是，它還能陪我們聊各種有趣的話題，激發思考，甚至在我們心情低落時，像個知心朋友一樣安慰我們。在教育領域，AI 也逐漸成為「家教老師」，幫助學生以更個人化的方式學習，不再害怕被老師點名回答問題。
在商業世界裡，AI 也發揮了超能力，不僅幫助企業找到合適的供應商，還能提高會議效率、增強溝通效果，甚至加速新型複合材料與藥物的研發。我們每天都在見證 AI 的影響力，有時覺得很神奇，有時又覺得毛骨悚然。
隨著 AI 掌握越來越多數據和資訊，並且在語言處理上越來越厲害，它已經幫人類擺脫許多繁瑣、重複性的工作，讓我們有更多時間去做創意性和富有同理心的事情。學會使用 AI，並發揮我們自身的創意，或許會讓生活變得更加有趣。這就像是馴服一匹野馬，讓它成為我們的座騎，帶我們去探索未知的世界，開創新的未來。
當然，AI 的發展速度快得驚人，有時甚至讓人有點害怕。但與其抗拒，不如學習如何與 AI 共存，並善加利用它。有句話說，未來的贏家將是那些懂得開發 AI，並能巧妙運用 AI 工具的人。比如說，現在有人開始將 AI 與區塊鏈結合，應用在材料供應和財務管理上，減少錯誤和詐欺，實現前所未有的自動化與可信度。這可不是科幻小說，而是正在發生的現實！
不過，讓我真正感興趣的是「生物智慧」的力量。鳥類、魚類，甚至孩子們的大腦，到底是如何運作的？是誰教鳥兒編織出如此精美又複雜的鳥巢？候鳥和魚類又是如何穿越數百、甚至數千公里的危險旅程，準確地回到原生地？音樂神童又是怎麼記住旋律，彈奏出一首首動人的鋼琴協奏曲？
我懷疑 AI 是否能夠真正達到這樣的「生物智慧」境界。讓我們拭目以待吧！
