Science fiction movies have led us to believe that AI is something from the future, where humanoid robots clean your house while simultaneously planning a rebellion to extinguish the human race. We learned that artificial intelligence is typically conversational, conscious, and controlling.
However, although fiction might one day become reality, AI didn't start with the arrival of ChatGPT. It has been with us since the early 2000s, following successful experiments in the 90s, and we ourselves have been unconsciously training it.
When you do a search or pause to watch a video on TikTok, there's an eye watching you and learning from you at all times. Have you noticed that when you think about a product, you start seeing ads for it everywhere? That's Artificial Intelligence. Get ready to understand invisible AI
3 Everyday Examples of AI You Use
1. Personalized Advertising
Nowadays, we're flooded with advertising everywhere: when you search on Google, watch TikTok videos, or view Instagram reels, you encounter annoying ads that often prevent you from enjoying the content. This advertising isn't the same for everyone; it's specially prepared for you and targeted towards you.
Example:
If many users of your same age are near you and bought a product at 3 AM, the AI predicts that you might also want to buy it if you're awake at the same time.
AI analyzes your digital behavior, making it seem like it can read your mind by showing you incredibly relevant ads.
2. Recommendation Algorithms
Everything you do on your social networks is information that AI collects to show you what interests you most. That's why TikTok is so addictive; it shows you exactly what keeps your attention to make you stay as long as possible. The same happens with Instagram Reels, YouTube, and other platforms.
Example:
*If you were swiping through videos on TikTok and then stopped on one for more than a second, you'll start seeing more content of that same style. Even if it's your first time on TikTok, it will show you what it's currently showing people of your same age, gender, nationality, and even your same eye color.*
80% of Netflix users start watching content based on recommendations on the homepage; only 20% actively search.
3. Predictive Keyboard and Autocorrect
Our phone's predictive keyboard and autocorrect is something very simple, yet intelligent; it's been part of our daily lives for many years, evolving from early tech like T9. Today, we use it constantly when writing messages, and I'd argue it's the AI we interact with most consciously every day.
Example:
If you type a word incorrectly, our autocorrect fixes it automatically. If you start a conversation, it might suggest "Heyyy" as the first word if that's what you use most often. Likewise, as you type, it predicts the next word you'll say; it learns from your writing style and from other users with data similar to yours.
GPT-1, the precursor to ChatGPT, started in 2017, and its sole function was to predict the next word given a submitted phrase.
I hope these examples help you understand that AI isn't something groundbreaking, it didn't all start in November 2022 with the arrival of ChatGPT; rather, it's a technology that's been around for a very long time. It's just more visible now. With models like ChatGPT, you have something like a super-intelligent person who understands and follows your instructions naturally, helps you solve complex problems, and is available for free access to you and the world.
GPT is just another advanced Artificial Intelligence that stopped being invisible with the launch of ChatGPT.
The next time you accept a suggestion from your keyboard or see a finely tuned ad, remember: there's Artificial Intelligence behind it. If you're interested in diving deeper into other silent applications of AI, don't miss our next analysis.