AL or AI? Am I supposed to be saving the World?

Photo by Hitesh Choudhary on Unsplash

I’m all over the internet. I should be a squillionaire based on mentions alone. But I’m not.

You see I go by the name of Al (AL), which in just about every font on this damn computer interface looks like AI (when you glance at it). So when I open my email in the morning, I am confronted by all these things that I can supposedly do. You’d think I was the next messiah given all the hype about the miracles I can perform. The pressure is getting a bit overwhelming to be honest. I’m just not sure what everyone expects of me.

So I consulted my AI alter ego (ChatGPT) to come up with the list of ten things that I’m supposed to be able to do. Here’s a list of my superpowers, according to me (or AI…I’m getting confused myself):

1. Personalised Recommendations: AI algorithms can analyse your preferences and behaviour patterns to make personalised recommendations for products, services, and content that you may be interested in.
2. Health Monitoring: AI-powered health monitoring devices and apps can help you keep track of your physical and mental health, detect early warning signs of illness, and provide timely advice on how to stay healthy.
3. Smart Homes: AI-enabled smart homes can automate various tasks such as lighting, temperature control, and security, making your life more comfortable and secure.
4. Improved Transportation: AI-powered transportation systems can optimise traffic flow, reduce congestion, and make commuting more efficient and hassle-free.
5. Virtual Assistants: AI-powered virtual assistants can help you with various tasks such as scheduling appointments, managing your to-do list, and answering your queries, saving you time and effort.
6. Personalised Education: AI-powered educational tools can adapt to your learning style and provide personalised feedback, helping you learn more effectively.
7. Enhanced Entertainment: AI algorithms can analyse your entertainment preferences and recommend movies, TV shows, and music that you may enjoy, making your leisure time more enjoyable.
8. Improved Customer Service: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide instant customer service, resolving queries and complaints in real-time, improving customer satisfaction.
9. Better Financial Planning: AI-powered financial planning tools can analyze your spending habits and provide personalised advice on how to save money, invest wisely, and achieve your financial goals.
10. Improved Communication: AI-powered translation tools can help you communicate with people who speak different languages, breaking down language barriers and promoting cross-cultural understanding.

All very exciting, if a bit of a boring read. I don’t know where I’m going to find the time to broker world peace if I’m busy doing all of this other stuff!

Would the real Al please stand up?

But when you think about it, AI is just a faster version of me. I’ve been around the sun more that 60 times. The knowledge I’ve gathered and experiences I’ve had are stored somewhere deep in the supercomputer I call Al’s Brain. It’s there, I just have to unlock it. And then maybe feed it into the box that churns all this soul-less information out.

So maybe the real AI is the real Al(L). I’ve got a soul and a mind. I just don’t have all the money that my friend AI thinks I should have.

Let me know if you want to tap into my 60 years of life and work experience. As Chip Conley says, we are the modern elders, and we’ve got the stories to prove it.