Embracing a Technological World: Powered by AI!

Do you have a smartphone with face ID? Then you’ve experienced a way in which artificial intelligence (AI) is influencing the world. Over seven billion people have a mobile phone, and the average person spends around four hours a day on it; so, you have access to AI technology in your own pocket.  

However, facial recognition software is just a small example of what AI is capable of. This blog explores the growth of AI and how it has evolved into the amazing product it is today, and also gives you an insight into some future trends to watch out for. 

History of AI 

For a modern application, you might be surprised to hear that the term artificial intelligence dates to 1956. In fact, it was coined at a Dartmouth conference by John McCarthy, a mathematician and computer scientist. It started with AI pioneers exploring how computers could interpret human intelligence, but it originally occurred setbacks during the 1970s and 1980s due to financial difficulty, technical limitations, and ultimately unrealistic expectations. It wasn’t until the 2000s that AI began to revive, due to the introduction of algorithms and big data. This happened because of the growth of machine learning techniques, which allows AI to store previous data in a way that means it can predict future trends and behaviour. Today, we have seen AI applications expand to several domains, including face and speech recognition, image processing, natural language processing, and the beginning of self-driving cars.  

The Importance of AI Today 

We see many people stating how much AI has grown to have a major impact on our daily lives, but let’s explore a bit about why it’s as important as it is today: 

- It automates repetitive learning and discovery through data – performing regular computerised tasks in a reliable way that humans couldn’t do without getting fatigued 

- It adds intelligence to existing products – If you own an iPhone, you’ll be aware of Siri. It’s much easier to ask Siri to find something out for you rather than typing it into Google, right? Well, this is possible due to AI 

- It adapts through progressive learning outcomes in a way that lets the data do the programming  

- It analyses more and deeper data using neural networks that might have hidden layers – Historically, building a fraud detection system would have been impossible with hidden layers, but this has changed due to the advancement of computer power and big data 

- AI can achieve greater accuracy that is far beyond a human’s capability 

AI Trends to Look Out For! 

If you’re an AI enthusiast and want to know what’s next in the technological pipeline, you’ve come to the right place! Here are a few things that Forbes predicts to make their way into the mainstream within the next ten years:  

- AI and machine learning will transform the scientific method  

- AI is predicted to become a pillar of foreign policy 

- AI will enable next-generation consumer experiences 

- AI will be critical in addressing the climate crisis 

- AI will enable personalised medicine to be created  

Study Artificial Intelligence  

Want to become part of the future?  

Let the University of Bolton help you with our new BSc (Hons) Artificial Intelligence degree. Major industries such as healthcare, banking, entertainment, manufacturing, and retail all incorporate AI into their processes, so there’s no doubt that the course can help you become employable in a sector with a wealth of career opportunities. The course will teach you a wide range of AI programming and computing methods, covering the essential areas of software systems that not only underpin AI but explore specialised topics and the latest trends that are shaping the future of computer science. 

But what sets Bolton apart from the crowd?  

- We are the first UK university to become a RedHat Academy, incorporating RedHat Linux certification into our modules  

- Our computing courses have been voted first for Student Satisfaction* 

- We have an experienced lecturer team who are dedicated to giving students the supportive learning environment they deserve; exposing them to their wealth of knowledge in industry practices such as machine learning, computer vision, data science, intelligent agents, bioinformatics, information, and cybersecurity.  

- We regularly monitor and update the course to ensure the content is industry-relevant and introduces you to the latest thinking and innovations. You'll explore the most up-to-date technologies and software packages, such as Python, using IDEs, including PyCharm and Visual Studio Code 

- All students gain access to our dedicated Careers and Employability Team who are committed to giving them the support they need to stand out to industry employers 

Does BSc (Hons) Artificial Intelligence sounds like a good way to crack the code to an exciting and challenging career? Click here to read about the course more in detail.  

#UseYerLoaf... and choose #UniAsItShouldBe! 

For more information, contact us at enquireis@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903903. 

*Complete University Guide – Student Satisfaction – Northwest - 2023