Digitilisation
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Technology - Retail Future in Digital (RFiD) By Stan Jit Singh, Secretary-General, MRCA
“You can have Data without Information, but you cannot have Information without Data”.
DEMYSTIFY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) So, what exactly is AI? – Firstly, AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. The term may also be applied to any machine that exhibits traits associated with a human mind such as learning and problem solving. And so, in the final analysis, and to simply put it, AI is the intelligence that is artificially created for a particular fit and purpose or intent in business, operations, monitoring or research, and that means, anything and everything where it applies. The ideal characteristic of artificial intelligence is its ability to rationalise and take actions from all data sources, and that have the best chance to achieving a specific goal or outcome to provide a slate or position, for a near accurate decision-making process. A subset of the AI is machine learning, which refers to the concept that computer programmes can automatically learn from and adapt to new data without being assisted by humans. On the other hand, deep learning techniques enable this automatic learning through the absorption of huge amounts of unstructured data such as text, images, sound or video to provide Malaysia Retailer Vol 9 No 2
the correct analytics and perhaps predict the business outcome. When most of us hear the term, AI, the first thing that comes to mind is, Robots. This is because the movie makers have created that sense of belief from “Star Trek”, “Star Wars” and so on, have weaved stories about human-like machines that wreak havoc on Earth or the neighbouring planets, but nothing could be further from the truth that this science is fictional in nature. Let’s not write this off so soon because with the emerging technologies and the technological revolution cycle and development, it has impacted the current IT & business landscape and we are not far from using AI to disrupt and bring that needed benefit to the organisation in a new and improved way as well. After all, data points are readily available and all we need to do is capture them to good and sound use. AI can be categorised in three areas respectively for easy understanding and for clarity, namely, Soft AI, Hard AI, and Deep AI. Soft AI – Soft AI can be referenced to as being used in Smart Homes, Smart Appliances, Smart Offices, where processes and interval activation of devices are based on conditions, senses and motions arising in that environment. Hard AI – Hard AI can be referenced to as being used in Smart Cities where a more complex management of the environment is needed in controlling the environment, example, Traffic, Street Lights, Monitoring Cameras, Pedestrian Walks, Information Kiosks, Emergencies, Bus Stop Management,
Crime Watch, Facial Recognition, Fall Detection and so on. Deep AI – Deep AI can be referenced to as being used in Smart Factories where some degree of automation has been implemented with the view to automate processes using Robotics for Manufacturing & Production, Early Warnings for Equipment Maintenance Management on Wear & Tear, Manpower & Labour Force Controls, Security Management, Human Fall Detection and Monitoring Premise For Emergencies & Logistics. Incidentally the above is not an exhaustive list as there are many other related applications and areas that AI is deployed for its rightful purpose in managing the most difficult task/s at a greater speed, accuracy, reliability and flexibility to drive home the benefits and results. SMART HOME
SMART CITY
SMART FACTORY
