By: Meghann Witthoft
iRobot or Asset?
Whether your mind takes you Direction 1 or Direction 2, there is no denying the power in AI technology.
Whenever someone mentions artificial intelligence (AI), it is likely your brain goes one of two directions. Direction 1: AHHHHH! Keep that away from me! Have you not seen the countless movies about robots taking over the earth?! Direction 2: Wow! That is awesome! Can you imagine the applications for that advanced technology?! If you are like me, Direction 1 is the most ingrained into our minds. However, it is those whose minds wander the path of Direction 2 that can predict the future and are changing the face of the world around us. In addition, it is the power of individuals who embrace the applicability of AI and calm down those of us who are looking over our shoulders for the cast of iRobot that is propelling solutions to just about everything forward.
You are probably wondering what this has to do with aviation, aren’t you? The answer is that the innovation surrounding AI is spreading to all facets of life, and what better area to seek out growth and groundbreaking technology than aviation?
Aviation and AI: More than One Way to Steer a Plane
In fact, according to Air Facts Journal, aviation was among the first industries to explore the application of AI (more on that here). Can you say “autopilot?” While this development is absolutely phenomenal and has countless applications to aviation, similarly to that of other industries, there is one area that seems to lack the same reach: the use to improve our own intelligence. More often we see AI as a means of optimizing things like cleaning, driving, and flying aircraft as opposed to using AI to turn our own brains into powerhouse of knowledge and efficiency. Enter e-Learning.
Learning, Growing, and Adapting with AI
E-Learning is an area that lives, breathes, and grows as technology continues to present new tools. One such tool is that of AI. ELearning Industry, an online collection of resources related to e-Learning, outlines the ability of AI to innovate learning in a variety of ways including data analysis, mathematical learning functions, and the creation of “immersive experiences” i
n education (learn more about ELearning Industry here). AI’s power has been applied to e-Learning in areas such as math and science; however, the same principles used in these subjects could likely be applied to that of other disciplines, including aviation training.
The Future is Here
Imagining a world where harnessing AI technology advancements allows us to build up our own bank of knowledge and helps us to understand how to use them more efficiently seems to be impossible in the aviation industry. But given the right team with a history of pioneering solutions to meet the needs of the entire industry, is it really impossible?