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- The Wheat from the Chaff #19
The Wheat from the Chaff #19
This week, let's talk about copilots, AI-based solutions that assist in specific tasks. At the pace we're going, we'll all have our favorite copilot! Additionally, in this week's guest topic, we'll discuss people who are using technology to promote inclusion. Let's go!
Jhonata Emerick
August 18, 2023
As part of my job, every week I read a lot of content about data, technology, and artificial intelligence (also known as AI). I filter them and send you the best ones, every Sunday.
Hello everyone 👋 ,
This week, let's talk about copilots, AI-based solutions that assist in specific tasks. At the pace we're going, we'll all have our favorite copilot! Additionally, in this week's guest topic, we'll discuss people who are using technology to promote inclusion. Let's go!
Less is More
We didn't have our meeting last week due to a holiday, and I hope you missed us! <3 However, we are back now.
In recent editions, we have discussed quite a bit about the job market and its future impacts. However, significant changes are already visible. In my doctoral research, along with a group of researchers, we developed an algorithm that assists in calibrating a magnetic resonance imaging machine. We follow a worldwide protocol because better-calibrated machines should produce higher-quality images for physicians to evaluate. Previously, this task was performed daily by a biomedical professional. In a way, we have automated part of this work, allowing the professional to focus more on the patient. Our algorithm, if I may call it that, has become the copilot of the biomedical professional.
My reflection is: other copilots are emerging, and perhaps this is one of the first significant movements. Besides generating productivity gains for its users, the solution (referred to as a 'copilot' here) is enhanced with each new use.
As we often emphasize, a blacksmith's house shouldn't have a wooden skewer. So, let's look at the numbers. There's a platform called GitHub, whose main purpose is to host source codes for programmers. This platform offers various tools that assist in several functions, such as version control, among others. Microsoft acquired GitHub in 2018 for $7.5 billion.
They developed an artificial intelligence tool in partnership with OpenAI (creator of ChatGPT), called Copilot. This tool aims to be a programmer's assistant, suggesting and completing code as you type, as well as assisting in error identification - a usually time-consuming process. Copilot was trained using the GitHub dataset.
They conducted a study with 95 programmers, randomly dividing them into two groups. The first group, consisting of 45 developers, used Copilot, while the second group, with 50 developers, did not use the tool. The task involved writing code in a specific language with a clear objective. In the group where Copilot was used, more programmers were able to complete the proposed task in half the time compared to the group that did not use the tool.
But, you must be wondering, Jhon, I'm not a programmer. Can I also have a copilot of my own, whether in my personal or professional life? The answer is yes.
ChatGPT is launching various integrations with companies from different sectors. In one of these, I requested a one-week trip to Paris for two adults and one child, including accommodation in a cost-effective hotel and a rental car. I asked for the best package available for the next three months.
The tool efficiently performed the task, listing, for example, the pros and cons of some hotels, aiming to assist in my decision-making process. Therefore, can I consider it as my copilot for travel? I conducted the same test for property rentals, as well as for weather forecasting and fuel prices.
If you're an entrepreneur and want to better understand the performance of listed companies, whether to comprehend strategies, markets, etc., you can rely on a copilot to assist you in this process. The tool FinChat.io aims to be that copilot. For instance, I asked it to explain the business model of Boeing and how its revenue is divided. Below is an excerpt from the response:
I conducted a search on GitHub for open-source tools that contain the word 'copilot' in their name. To our surprise, we found 5,778 solutions. Therefore, we should expect a clear movement of companies developing solutions (or 'copilots') for various sectors. What will set apart the wheat from the chaff? The accuracy of the obtained results. This is not news for those who work with data and predictive intelligence, as we are held accountable for it every day. For instance, in the travel situation, if our 'copilot' listed hotels in Australia instead of France, we would probably stop using it.
In this context, with a copilot of your own, we should see an increase in productivity. However, the most important point is that it becomes more evident than ever that intelligence will be the differentiator. In 2018, I addressed this topic, emphasizing that an approach that goes beyond software, also guided by intelligence and data (model-driven), should, and is, changing the market and generating new opportunities. The era of AI is just beginning! :)
Interesting topics in Brazil:
Trending topics Global:
Guests of the Week
Today, we don't have a special guest, but rather several guests whose names we don't even know. Despite that, they are pioneers, in using AI to promote social inclusion and improve the world, even if it's just one person's world.
An example is the researchers from PUCRS who use AI-based technologies to assist people with hearing impairments in better communication. The work involves a large team from different fields, gathering a vast amount of videos in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) to create a database. This is crucial as it helps the system learn and better understand the signals. One of the initial tasks is to watch and analyze over 20,000 sign language videos.
Ultimately, the goal of this project is to enhance the lives of people with hearing impairments by facilitating their communication. This is achieved by creating an automated way to translate Libras signs to Portuguese and vice versa.
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