Google has long been one of the largest and wealthiest AI developers, and its investment in AI continues to increase. Between 2020 and 2021, Google’s parent company Alphabet increased its AI investment from $27.6 billion to $31.6 billion, and in committing so much capital to AI, the giant tech corporation has powerful control over the direction of AI development, at least for the coming years.
While Google certainly does not maintain total transparency with regards to its complete vision for the future of AI, it has given the tech media a peek into some of its more interesting AI projects. At the beginning of November 2022, here are some of the most exciting examples of AI research going on at Google HQ — and what business leaders can learn from them.
Self-coding Robots
Every robot ever created has been under explicit human control, as every robot runs on coding created by human programmers. Programming robots is tedious and time-consuming; it can consume a significant amount of budget and energy from corporations looking to integrate robotics into their processes. However, that could soon come to an end.
Google AI teams are working to create robots that are capable of programming themselves. Self-coding robots, which Google refers to as Code as Policies or CaP robots, interpret their environment and directives using a variety of perception and detection tools. Then, they can build the right codes to respond to instructions on the fly.
The ability to self-code puts robots a big step closer to the intelligent autonomousness we expect in the highly advanced civilizations of the future. For business leaders specifically, CaP robots present the opportunity to radically reduce costs associated with robotics integrations, and their generalized nature means that organizations can introduce robots into a larger number of processes. To understand the full potential of CaP robots, business executives may want to participate in an artificial intelligence online course from a university known for its commitment to emerging and advanced technologies.
Natural Disaster Tracking and Forecasting
Though businesses around the world are still reeling from supply chain disruptions caused throughout the COVID pandemic, widespread disease is far from the only reason for disruptions to the global supply chain. For centuries, weather events have interrupted shipments of materials and goods, and as climate change causes stable climates to shift, most supply chain experts anticipate an increase in the number of disruptions caused by natural disasters.
Google is striving to better understand and predict natural disasters like wildfires and floods through AI. Tech teams are developing and training machine learning models that can detect natural disasters early and send alerts to individuals who may be affected by adverse weather events. Thus, Google’s AI tools may be essential for saving countless lives and for preventing disruptions to crucial supply chains.
Health AI Tools
For years, AI developers have been promising healthcare providers intelligent digital tools that can assist with diagnosis, treatment and drug development to improve patient outcomes. Yet, despite ample research demonstrating various AI solutions in such pursuits, no AI tool has seen widespread adoption in hospitals and care facilities — due to the cost of such implementations as well as concerns about patient privacy.
Likely, AI will be an essential component of healthcare in the future, and Google hopes to add to the cadre of healthcare-related AI options. Currently, Google teams are creating a smartphone app that can function as a portable ultrasound monitor for nurses and midwives to use to maintain maternal health on-the-go. Another AI-driven smartphone app for health is the Automated Retinal Disease Assessment, which scans users’ eyes to identify the nascent signs of diabetic retinopathy. Healthcare administrators and executives in the healthcare space might pay close attention to the emergence of AI tools that can be used by providers and patients alike to further positive outcomes.
By paying attention to the AI developments from major tech companies, business leaders can learn about the immediate future of AI and develop effective strategies that implement cutting-edge AI solutions. The power of AI is only increasing, and the sooner business leaders understand and invest in AI, the better.