The Present and Future of AI
Have you heard of Gemma 3, Sec- Gemini v1, DeepSeek, Gemini 2.0, etc.? Don’t worry because more 95% of the people around you have not heard of about these AI models, let alone know anything about them. But ignore them you cannot, except at your own peril. The purpose of this series of posts in this blog is to familiarise you with AI and to help you succeed by using them, much like you learnt to use the internet a few decades ago.
Imagine waking up tomorrow to find that your job has been taken over by a machine (software coders are already facing it), your doctor’s diagnosis was made by an algorithm (AI is able to read CT scans much better than humans can), the car driving you to work doesn’t have a human behind the wheel (Waymo offers such taxis in San Francisco) and in wars, missiles will strike at invading planes, drones and other missiles by chasing them on their own even when the target moves away to evade them (how else were we able to defend so effectively against deadly Pakistani attacks in May 2025?) This isn’t science fiction. It is the rapidly approaching reality powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The AI revolution is not coming; it’s already here, reshaping every aspect of our lives at a breathtaking pace. Ignoring AI today is like ignoring the internet in the 1990s-an opportunity and a threat that will define the future for individuals, businesses, and entire nations.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant possibility; it is a force that is already fundamentally transforming how we live, work, and interact. AI is different from all other tools that man has created till today because AI has agency. This innocuous word, agency, means that it has the power do things on its own without a human being instructing it to or even wanting to instruct. The way things are going, AI will soon have the power to decide what to do on its own and even to create other AI without getting instructions from any human being. That is dangerous.
We are at a Gateway through which strong technological waves are hurling us into a very different world in which machines (humanoids/intelligent robots/etc.) and software robots with built-in algorithms to help them think, reason and act, will become more intelligent than most humans. We are approaching a moment in time called the Singularity Moment, when AI will surpass the intelligence of most humans in most things, but not all. It is very close, probably four or five years away. That level of AI intelligence is called Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) as opposed to Narrow Artificial Intelligence (NAI) which has had humans enthralled in recent times. NAI is at play when we, humans, are able to build self-driving cars or when we are instantly able to make a video by just feeding a story in text form into an AI. AGI will start happening in rapid steps over the next decade, starting now and not suddenly on one fine day. Somewhere in between AI will become more intelligent than humans at most things- not all things.
AI can be our greatest friend by enhancing our abilities and improving quality of life. It can act as a tireless assistant, handling mundane tasks to free up time for creativity and meaningful work. In healthcare, AI helps detect diseases early and personalize treatments, saving lives. It has unravelled the 3-D structures of all the 200+ million proteins known to mankind. This opens up potential cures to the most dreaded diseases. It supports education by tailoring learning to individual needs, making knowledge accessible to all. AI also fosters innovation and not kill it as often misconceived. Let us say, you want to create a new and unique recipe which no one has ever created before; you want a particular amount of spiciness, sweetness, saltiness, etc.. Suppose that you have only a limited number of vegetables and condiments at home, you can instruct an AI like Perplexity or ChatGPT and also type in your constraints. It will create a detailed recipe in a few moments with clear instructions. Thirty months ago, when ChatGPT arrived, it could only deal with language but not math. But in December 2024, a version of Claude was deployed to solve a math problem which no human had been able to solve till then. AI can also help us solve complex problems from climate change to energy management. When designed ethically, AI can amplify human potential, promote well-being, and build smarter, safer communities to create a better future for mankind.
We could AI like we tend to ignore many things which we don’t easily understand at first. You can get away for a while but here are nine reasons why ignoring AI is not a sensible option.
• AI Is Reshaping every industry in the world; you don’t want to be left out
AI is revolutionizing sectors like healthcare, finance, transportation, education, and retail. In healthcare, it aids in diagnosing diseases, personalizing treatment plans, and improving patient outcomes. In finance, AI automates routine tasks, detects fraud, and enables smarter risk management, making financial systems more secure and efficient. Transportation is being transformed by self-driving cars, smarter traffic management, and eco-friendly solutions, all powered by AI. Education is seeing personalized learning, global accessibility, and new models that adapt to individual student needs.
• AI offers unmatched Efficiency and Productivity, you don’t want to miss out on that
AI is excellent at automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks, allowing humans to focus on complex, creative, and strategic work. Businesses using AI for real-time data analysis, customer personalization, and operational optimization are gaining a competitive edge over those which don’t. In manufacturing, AI-powered robots increase productivity and reduce errors, while in customer service, AI chatbots provide instant, 24/7 support.
• AI is driving Innovation and new Opportunities, you want them badly
AI is not just about automation-it’s about innovation. From drug discovery to smart cities and renewable energy management, AI is enabling breakthroughs that were previously unimaginable. It is opening doors to new business models, products, and services, creating opportunities for startups and established companies alike.
• AI is shaping the Future Workforce, you don’t want to be eliminated
The job market is being reshaped by AI. While some roles are being automated, new jobs are emerging in data science, AI development, and digital strategy. Everyone needs to adapt by acquiring new skills, but only those who do will find themselves in high demand. AI is also helping to prepare students for the future by fostering problem-solving, and digital literacy.
• AI is Transforming everyday life, you will not be able to survive without it
AI touches daily life in ways both visible and invisible. Social media feeds, online shopping recommendations, voice assistants, and navigation apps all rely on AI algorithms. These systems personalize experiences, streamline tasks, and even influence decision-making and public discourse.
• AI has Social and Ethical implications, you need to be aware of them
The integration of AI into society brings both promise and challenges. Issues such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, transparency, and accountability are now at the forefront. AI systems can amplify misinformation, impact civil rights, and raise concerns about surveillance and over-policing. Responsible AI adoption is essential to ensure positive outcomes and avoid unintended harm.
• Risks of ignoring AI, you don’t want to pay the price
Ignoring AI means missing out on efficiency gains, innovation, and competitive advantage. It also means being unprepared for the disruptions AI will inevitably bring-whether it’s job displacement, new regulatory requirements, or shifts in consumer expectations. Organizations and individuals who fail to adapt risk falling behind.
• AI is reshaping Competitiveness in the Global Economy, no man can be an island
AI’s integration into the global economy is accelerating. Businesses leveraging AI are seeing improved decision-making, customer engagement, and operational success. Countries and companies that invest in AI research and talent are positioning themselves as leaders in the next wave of technological progress. As of April 2025, the top 8 tech companies account for 31% of the market capitalization of the entire US stock market! In 10 years from now, businesses that don’t use AI tools and people who don’t have skills to work in an AI driven environment will cease to exist.
• The Need for Responsible Adoption
As AI becomes more pervasive, it is crucial to address its risks. Mustafa Suleyman, the co-founder of DeepMind and Head of AI at Microsoft, has written extensively about this in his book, The Coming Wave. Action required includes safeguarding consumer privacy, ensuring fairness, and maintaining human oversight. Given that many people are going to lose jobs and that they may, probably not be the ones to get the numerous new jobs created on account of AI, it is important to strike, an acceptable balance between automation and ethical considerations. Else AI will leave large parts of society in misery.
What are you going to do about AI?
Embracing AI responsibly is the key to your future success. In many cases, you may not need to know anything about AI because AI will come embedded in products that you use without your being aware of it but if you are a manufacturer of such products in which AI could be used to make them more effective, you cannot but learn how to deploy AI. This post is only a soft trailer. Movie ab baaki hai. Future posts can be scripted to your needs, if you send me your questions and suggestions about what I should cover in future postings on the huge and important subject.