Breaking Down Barriers and Unlocking Potential
Why
Is AI Still Out of Reach?
One of the biggest reasons is that AI can be complicated and costly to use. Setting up a crypto wallet and making a transaction is pretty straightforward. But using AI? That’s another story—it requires not just money, but also technical know-how, computing power, and access to data. These challenges make AI seem distant for most people.
To mass users, AI is still out of reach. Sure, we do interact with AI in our daily lives—like using facial recognition to unlock our phones, biometric banking, or auto-correct when typing. But it’s mostly companies that develop and roll out these technologies, while we just benefit from them on the surface. Aside from a few tools like facial recognition, the impact of AI on our everyday lives is still pretty limited.
Closing the gap
In 2021,
Things started to shift. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, and DALL-E made AI a lot more user-friendly. Now, people can create text, art, and other content using AI, opening up new ways to be creative and productive. For the first time, many of us could directly use AI, not just as consumers but as creators.
Now
The potential of AI doesn’t stop at Generative AI. There are other types, like AI vision and time series analysis, that could make a huge difference. AI vision, for example, has been evolving for over a decade and is already being used in industries like construction (e.g., Viact.AI). But most of these applications remain in specialized fields, still far from everyday use.
Why It’s Important to Make AI More Accessible
A few years ago, I came across a story that left an impression on me. A high school student won an innovation competition in the U.S. with a project that used AI to identify leftover food and suggest creative recipes to reduce food waste. It was a perfect example of how AI can be used to tackle real-world problems in practical ways. It made me think: what if more people had access to AI tools? Imagine the creative solutions they could come up with!.
This story motivated me to work on making AI easier for everyone to use. I believe that by simplifying AI tools and removing barriers like complex interfaces, the need for coding, or high costs, we can empower more people to use AI to make a positive impact in their communities. AI shouldn’t just be reserved for tech enthusiasts or those with big budgets; it should be accessible to everyone.
That said, many people are jumping into AI out of FOMO (fear of missing out) without fully understanding what it can and can’t do. This often results in wasted time and resources, as they dive into projects without a clear direction or purpose. Even developers with strong technical skills can miss out on their potential if they lack creative ideas or a vision for how to apply AI in practical ways. It’s a lost opportunity for them to create something truly meaningful and innovative
The COVID era has brought both challenges and opportunities for AI adoption:
- More Powerful Personal Devices: During the pandemic, the demand for personal computers, especially MacOS devices, shot up. With new, more efficient chip designs like Apple Silicon and ARM, these devices can now handle running AI models without using too much power. This means more people can experiment with AI right on their laptops.
- Changing AI Computation Landscape: As big tech companies compete for limited cloud resources for running large AI models, the cost of cloud computing has gone up. This shift has created a new demand for regular users to perform AI tasks locally, using the power of their devices. It presents an opportunity for users to train and run AI models without being dependent on cloud services and reduce costs.
- High Demand for AI Skills: Knowing AI has become a valuable skill. People with AI expertise are landing more job opportunities and better pay—not just in tech but in roles like business analysis and back-office operations. Companies realize that AI skills can add value in many areas, and they’re on the lookout for people who bring those abilities to the table.
These shifts point to a future where AI is more within reach for everyone. With better devices and a growing understanding of AI’s value, there’s a real chance to bring AI to a much larger audience—maybe even billions people.
So, How Do We Get There?
To make this vision a reality, we need to bridge the gap between AI and everyday users. This means creating tools that are easier to use, cutting down on technical jargon, and providing people with the right resources and training. By doing this, we can spark a new wave of creativity and innovation, where AI becomes a tool that anyone can use to generate more value for their lives and communities.
AI doesn’t have to stay as a complex technology or a buzzword. It has the potential to be something anyone can use to bring their ideas to life, solve big problems, and make a real impact. If we can make AI more accessible, we can unlock new ideas, and new opportunities for innovation and growth, creating a future where AI isn’t just part of our lives—it’s a tool that empowers us all to do more.
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