https://data-lab.be/@DataLabBE

DemystifyingArtificial Intelligence

Prof. Tias Guns <tias.guns@vub.be>http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~tiasguns/

19 Dec @UCIP China-EU AI Workshop

Tias Guns, VUB

Question

Is Artificial Intelligence:

A) a new type of human-created intelligence?

B) a research field in computer science that develops smart algorithms?

Tias Guns, VUB

Question

Is Artificial Intelligence:

A) a new type of human-created intelligence?

B) a research field in computer science that develops smart algorithms?

Dream

Reality

Tias Guns, VUB

Recent examples of A.I.

Tias Guns, VUB

Artificial Intelligence?

Predictions & Reasoning

To propose actions ( = decision support )

To take actions ( = autonomous system )

Tias Guns, VUB

From Big Data to A.I.

I. KNOW – Big Data= collect and analyse the now

II. PREDICT – Machine Learning= learn from the past to predict the future

III. REASON – A.I.= plan and act according to now and predicted future

Tias Guns, VUB

Can A.I. outsmart people?

YES a person is limited in space and time

an AI is limited in neither:parallel computing and the cloud

Tias Guns, VUB

Is A.I. Dangerous?

Tias Guns, VUB

Is A.I. Dangerous?

Tias Guns, VUB

Dangerous? Well, how is it made...

1) Define: a mapping from input to output

2) Collect: lots and LOTS of mapping examples

3) Science & Engineering: until the system produces satisfactory output from input

Tias Guns, VUB

Is A.I. Dangerous?

A.I. systems are savants“a person with a high level of knowledge or skill,

especially someone who is less able in other ways”(Definition of “savant” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

No context, no moral, no knowledge of side-effects

→ it optimises one function, at any (unseen) cost

Tias Guns, VUB

Is A.I. Dangerous?

A.I. systems are savants“a person with a high level of knowledge or skill,

especially someone who is less able in other ways”(Definition of “savant” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

No context, no moral, no knowledge of side-effects

→ it optimises one function, at any (unseen) cost

Tias Guns, VUB

A.I. in transport: congestion“The economics of Traffic Congestion”, R. Arnott, K. Small, 1994

Possible, road: optimize flow at traffic lights

Tias Guns, VUB

From Big Data to A.I.

I. KNOW – Big Data= collect and analyse the now

II. PREDICT – Machine Learning= learn from the past to predict the future

III. REASON – A.I.= plan and act according to now and predicted future

+ Potential dangers

Tias Guns, VUB

A.I. in transport: public transport optimisation

I. KNOW: train locations & how many people on it

II. PREDICT: delays & when full

III. REASON: priority rules, wait-at-stop policy, daily vehicle size, temporary vehicles, ...

+ DANGER: need cooperationfrom drivers and passengers,fairness of priority rules?

Tias Guns, VUB

A.I. in transport: freight truck planning

I. KNOW: where trucks/goods are and travel and delivery time

II. PREDICT: travel times, delivery times

III. REASON: which goods to which truck, routes to drive, loading of trucks, who drives which truck

+ DANGER: over-optimisation stresses out drivers, can break 'acceptable' way of working (human capital)

Tias Guns, VUB

A.I. in transport: urban freight management

I. KNOW: how do trucks move in the city

II. PREDICT: where will trucks enter and whereto

III. REASON: impact of road works or construction sites, manipulate flows with road restrictions, preferred routes

+ DANGER: other impact on stakeholders hard to measure

Tias Guns, VUB

Urban freight management

ViaPass OBU data: Belgian road tax for trucks > 3.5 ton GPS location updates every 30 seconds

collaboration with Brussels Mobility: understanding flows

https://data-lab.be/@DataLabBE

Conclusion

A.I. can make wishes come true.(after investments in infrastructure and data)

Let's wish for human-oriented,sustainable solutions!

What role can EU-China relations play here?How to overcome barriers in language and data regulation?