What is AI and How To Get Into a STEM Field
Curious to learn why AI is important to so many different fields? In this blog, I hope to be able to answer these questions thoroughly and explain why they are relevant to all of our lives.
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First off, I should probably answer the most fundamental question on this list:
What is AI?
The dictionary definition of Artificial Intelligence is:
“the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.”
In simpler terms, it means teaching computers to do things that usually only a human brain is capable of, in order to make those tasks easier to perform.
POTENTIAL OF AI
AI has the potential to revolutionize hundreds of industries, from self-driving cars to programs that can detect cancer, AI is, in many ways, the future of modern economies, making feats that were once consigned to the realm of science fiction a reality. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. AI also has the potential to put many people out of work.
According to Forbes,
“AI will change the workplace and the jobs that humans do. Some jobs will be lost to AI technology, so humans will need to embrace the change and find new activities that will provide them the social and mental benefits their job provides.”
Many low-skilled and low-paying occupations, like bus driving, working on an assembly line, and telemarketing are already being replaced by AI controlled robots. Some studies even estimate that by 2030, robots will have taken over 20 million jobs(CNBC). All of this information leads to ethical questions for AI researchers like: What happens when machines can do a job a human can? How can we make sure that humans can work alongside Artificial Intelligence , instead of competing against it? These are all questions I won’t cover in this blog, but it's important to remember that at the end of the day we as people will decide through choices and policy whether AI will help or harm the human race.
WHAT CLASSES SHOULD I TAKE IN HIGH SCHOOL TO GET INTO STEM?
On a lighter note, I’d now like to talk about what classes high school students should take if they want to get into a STEM field. But first off, I should probably explain what STEM even is. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM makes up the backbone of most work concerning AI, and even if you’re not interested in being an AI researcher, it's important to have some STEM experience. The best classes to take for this experience are CS, or computer science classes, which provide an understanding of coding and programming, Calculus or Pre-Calc, to get some advanced math experience, and chemistry or biology to get experience in the sciences. All of these classes will help high-school students learn more about STEM and if they want to pursue it as a career choice.
