If you’ve walked down the main drag in any town or village or even scrolled through a local Facebook group, you’ve likely heard the term AI more than a few times. It’s the tech world’s favorite buzzword. It’s often painted as a solution to all our problems or a boogeyman coming for our jobs.
What’s AI, anyway?
Despite having intelligence in its name, Artificial Intelligence is not a thinking or feeling entity. Nor is it any sort of sentient being. You can think of it like a highly advanced apprentice. Imagine you are teaching someone how to spot a ripe Honeycrisp apple. You don’t give them a five hundred page textbook on apple biology. Instead, you show them a thousand pictures of good apples and a thousand pictures of bruised ones. Eventually, the apprentice gets very good at spotting the difference.
That’s AI in a nutshell. It involves computers looking at massive amounts of examples to find patterns and make helpful predictions.
It’s Already Here
You don’t need to be a computer expert to use AI. If you live in Nova Scotia, you are likely using it every day. When you use a GPS to avoid a backup on the MacKay or MacDonald Bridges, AI is analyzing traffic patterns in real time to find you a faster route.
Local retailers are beginning to use AI to predict how much stock to order. Based on sales history and previous patterns it can determine how much, and what a shop needs to stock. Just before a holiday so there is enough for everyone without unnecessary waste. Even our unpredictable Atlantic weather is now tracked by models that can predict storm surges and hurricane paths more accurately than ever before.
Why It Matters to Our Province
Nova Scotia is punching well above its weight in this field. Right here in the province, groups like Digital Nova Scotia are helping businesses use these tools to handle many tasks from the boring to the innovative.
Even our traditional industries are getting in on the action. In the Annapolis Valley, farmers use sensors to monitor soil health. On our coasts, the Ocean Supercluster uses technology to track fish stocks and keep our waters healthy for the next generation.
AI is not about replacing the Bluenose spirit with a computer chip. It’s a tool like the gas engine, the Internet, or even a hammer.
