Module 1: Foundations of AI · BoK I.A
Tech megatrends and AI
Some megatrends fuel AI, some are fuelled by it, and some raise the governance stakes. AI drives the need for PETs; blockchain is not universally applicable to all AI privacy challenges; autonomous weapons raise accountability, bias and stability concerns.
Some trends fuel AI, some are fuelled by it, and some raise the governance stakes. One line each is enough for the exam.
- Cloud computing - on-demand, scalable compute made high-powered computing accessible to everyone, driving AI development and data processing
- Mobile & social media - smartphones plus social platforms created a data explosion for AI models to learn from
- Internet of Things - IoT devices generate massive data that feeds AI models and grows data science
- Privacy-enhancing technologies - AI drives the need for PETs, which address data security and privacy concerns and enable responsible AI growth
- Blockchain - built for secure transactions; can enhance privacy and security in certain contexts, but not universally applicable to all privacy and AI challenges
- Autonomous vehicles - demand perception, decision-making and adaptation, pushing innovation in ML, computer vision and edge computing
- Autonomous weapons - raise ethical concerns → accountability, bias in targeting decisions, international stability
- Computer vision, AR/VR, Metaverse - CV lets machines understand images and video; AR overlays the real world, VR immerses fully; the Metaverse is a shared virtual space that may be ahead of its time
Key terms - quick answers
What is “PETs (privacy-enhancing technologies)”?
Technologies addressing data security and privacy concerns; AI drives the need for them.
What is “Edge computing”?
Processing data near its source; pushed by autonomous vehicles' need for fast perception and decisions.