“Ask Again Later”, “Outlook Good”, “Cannot Predict Now”, “Concentrate and Ask Again”
Oh, come on, you remember these phrases from the Magic 8 Ball which every kid had. The toy was even named one of the top 100 toys by Time Magazine. My Magic 8 Ball (actually, I had two as I decided to take my first one apart with a hammer) seemed to be bending probability as the most frequent answer, no matter how hard I shook, was “Reply hazy, try again.” So much for predicting the future.
So, what does a Magic 8 Ball have to do with artificial intelligence? Nothing really, other than me pointing out a Magic 8 Ball relies on randomness and probably has the same ability to predict the future as a fortune teller. Sorry, I just dissed a whole industry… On the other hand, AI is data dependent and analyzes massive amounts of data to predict everything from traffic patterns to energy consumption.
I decided to write this article because the vast majority of U.S. citizens are only vaguely aware of artificial intelligence, yet over 50% are concerned about AI (FN1). That got me thinking that the intelligentsia that run our cities have a 50-50 chance of only vaguely understanding AI.
While most people are aware of AI, the American ability to identify specific uses of the technology is still developing. In a December 2022 survey, only 30% of U.S. adults correctly recognized six common examples of AI in everyday life (FN2). I am not repeating them. I want to see who reads footnotes.
SMART CITIES
If you want a deeper dive into the vector between AI and smart cities, read my article SO…IF THERE ARE SMART CITIES, DOES THAT MEAN THERE ARE DUMB CITIES? The game changer for cities is that AI outcomes are actionable. While it’s not as much fun as a Magic 8 Ball from a decision-making tool, AI can be a game changer as it can predict the velocity of crowd growth and even advise on dispersal routes in a city. Unfortunately, you won’t get a fun answer like “My sources say no”.
AI excels at predictive outcomes which are based on historical and real time data. Cities can use AI to optimize and predict waste collection to efficiently distribute energy and detect energy waste. While not as entertaining as a Magic 8-Ball, it’s hard to deny its utility.
The challenge for cities is all the usual suspects: data management, the interconnection between legacy systems and, yes, management and staff that are reluctant to embrace how decision-making processes can be opaque.
SUMMARY
The best approach for a city to consider AI is to vision out programs that are more measurable, immediate and demonstrable. Examples that I think are worthy of consideration include traffic management and crowd control. If you want to read a slightly tongue in cheek article about how AI can be used to prevent crime, read: HOW TO USE TEAR GAS ON CRIMINALS (How to make dumb cameras smarter and reduce crime).
In the meantime, “Outlook good.”
About the author
Gary Sumihiro is the founder of Sumihiro Investments, LLC, a global strategic consulting firm. Learn more at www.sumihiroinvestmentsllc.com. Mr. Sumihiro serves as a global strategic advisor of nureal.ai.
About nureal.ai
nureal.ai is leading the democratization of artificial intelligence by offering a marketplace of affordable AI programs. The company recently announced it was selected out of thousands of applicants to participate in NVIDIA’s Inception Program; you can read about it here. nureal.ai has a core focus on Smart City AI applications. Learn more at www.nureal.ai.
Footnotes: