Have you ever taken a second to think about how artificial intelligence is so integrated into our lives? Also, how does it always seem to have the answer to the most obscure questions? In today’s modern world, chances are each person has access to a device that has artificial intelligence (AI). Where does the AI product get its information from? Is it from a preprogrammed data chip embedded into the device, or maybe it gets the information from deep ocean server farms? Well, in actuality, AI devices get their information by accessing the cloud via the internet. Ah, the cloud a familiar yet vaguely understood term in today’s highly technological world. What exactly is the cloud, where is the cloud, how does the cloud affect AI and the world we live in? The only way to answer all these questions will be to dig deeper into AI devices and the functions of the cloud.
The average person accesses the cloud daily whether they know it or not. Cloud computing is defined as the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer (Pandey, H). A prime example of this is using google documents through a Gmail account. Those documents are not stored on one specific server or computer but rather in the cloud allowing them to be accessible from a home computer as well as a work computer miles away. However, how does this tie into AI you wonder, let's continue on this digital learning journey.
There is a multitude of different AI devices available for purchase, but with the utilization of the internet for almost everything in daily life, IoT AI devices are on the rise. Not sure what IoT is, it actually is an acronym, standing for the internet of things. IoT is web-enabled smart devices that use embedded processors, sensors and communication software to collect, analyze, and share data from their environments into cloud storage. IoT touches practically every industry, including healthcare, financial, retail and manufacturing. In fact, IoT smart cities are aiding in the reduction of precious resources and are able to predict farming patterns (Rouse, M). These devices can even communicate with similar devices without the knowledge of the human. With an increased device connection, there is more information to be passed between devices, which has benefits and downsides too. That is for a different discussion though. Now that there is a better understanding of what the cloud is and what IoT AIs are, let's combine them to learn how they utilize each other.
The best and easiest way to explain their correlations is though a common example, Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home. These devices are Bluetooth and internet compatible, allowing them to access information. There is no possible way that the manufacturer could preload every possible answer a user might ask such devices. Instead, with access to the internet, the devices can access the cloud server and can intern provide information back to the user about what is being asked or requested of the device. For example, Amazon’s Alexa can connect to certain smart T.V.s, thermostats, security systems and much more. By the device having the ability to access an enormous vast of information storage which is the cloud, a user could easily from the comfort of the living room, turn on the tv, change the room temperature and lock the front door. These AI devices process the request, send it up to the cloud, analyze a response and then either perform the action or provide feedback to the user. The current thoughts on this, AI is expanding and found a way to be integrated into practically every aspect of one's life. It has become so normal now, that oftentimes it is overlooked and forgot about. Interacting with IoT, AI, and cloud computing is all normal, falling into the subconscious parts of the brain.
