Artificial intelligence (AI) is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart devices capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. From the realm of science fiction, AI has evolved to, in some applications, to match human performance, with the latest facial-recognition software having a 99% accuracy rate.
Strategy Analytics, a company that shares insights and analytics, states that 41% of consumers believe AI will improve their lives in some way and South Africa isn’t lagging behind the rest of the world in its development and application of this cutting-edge technology, either. “We’re seeing even more companies using AI in more daring ways through innovative products or services that disrupt the status quo,’ says Dries Cronje, CEO at Deep Learning Café, which specialises in AI to transform businesses to work at their optimum.
AI is no longer a terminology in Sci-Fi or belonging to the realm of top science and technology. Actually, according to a study by Statista, a company specialising in market and consumer data, people spend on average 3-5 hours a day on their phones and as much as 60 times a day checking their phones. Within this time, AI is helping us improve the efficiency of using a smartphone smoothly. Arthur Goldstuck of World Wide Worx, South Africa’s leading independent technology market research organisation, notes that smartphones are increasingly using AI. The ability of AI to continually optimise the apps on smartphones, enabling much longer battery life, is a real plus in our country, which looks set to contend with regular loadshedding for years to come.
Location World, that provides analytics to countries around the world, notes that 40% of people use the voice search function, which is AI enabled, at least once every day, giving people on the go the ease of having to spend less time typing. “AI has made this tool an easy and simple application just by the push of a button,” says Stephen Ha, General Manager of TECNO Mobile. “It has become one of the most popular features on our CAMON 15 Air smartphone.” What’s great about the use of AI in this function is that you can use it to make calls, search for locations or even to remember that favourite song you like. Another feature of AI is that it identifies what you use most on your phone and helps to create shortcuts to the apps and features most used, making it even easier for people with little time and busy lifestyles.
AI has taken smartphone photography to a new level, with features such as AI-enabled camera lenses and offers AI-based portrait modes, camera post-processing, and beauty filters, found in the CAMON 15 Air phone, to be launched this year in South Africa by TECNO Mobile. This technology, which enhances picture quality, means that anyone can take photographs of such good quality that they’re usable for print, for social media and even for business websites. “At TECNO, we pride ourselves on using the latest AI in our camera capabilities, making everyone a professional photographer,” says Stephan Ha.
