Will AI replace artists, writers and musicians?

6 February 2023

Will AI replace artists, writers and musicians?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In 2022, much attention has been focused on neural networks. While some people see benefits and advantages in such technology, others are wary of, and sometimes hostile to neural networks. At their core, neural networks are machine learning algorithms that “simulate” the workings of the human brain. Thus, in the past year, neural networks have been able to write sentences and music, generate images, and even diagnose diseases. But will algorithms ever be able to replace human occupations such as writers, musicians, artists, and designers?

Neural networks have significant drawbacks. Throughout history, people have used emotions as a survival mechanism. For example, fear helps protect themselves from threat. A person can recognize the emotions of others by body movements, tone of voice, situation, social signals. Communicating with others and mastering cultural norms, we learned to understand emotions. Unlike us humans, artificial intelligence cannot feel, and it has not lived for many years among people. It is very difficult for it to understand emotional subtleties. It doesn’t create original content. But in order for the neural network to produce text, pictures or music, it is required to download huge amounts of data with information from different sources. I am sure that a person has much more advantages, because we have been processing information for decades. Where there are mathematical rules, one can get around (chess, for example), but in creative matters, neural networks lack abstract thinking and can be useful to people as assistants for your creativity and generators of new ideas.

Now, let’s talk about the advantages of neural networks. The neural network is well able to personalize content, work with many variables at once and create variations. Also, they perfectly process hundreds of data elements at the same time, which entails saving time. Once the AI recognizes the pattern, it can instantly generate several variations.

In general, I can say that both a person and neural networks at the moment have something to learn from each other. But still, will artificial intelligence be able to replace creative professions?

First, it can affect those who call themselves artists and musicians, but who repeat the styles and creative approaches of others. Those who are accustomed to repeating the same tasks every day, writing the same sentences and replacing just a few words. All those who engage in plagiarism instead of creating something new will lose their jobs.

I am of the opinion that neural networks, at least for now, cannot come up with radically new ideas, but they can speed up the kind of work that is now routine. I think neural nets are a great tool, but being an artist or designer is not something that can be replaced by AI. There is one condition, and that is that it has to be someone who is studying alongside modern technology. It’s no secret that many people are now looking to neural networks for inspiration for their work. When designers are experiencing “burnout”, neural networks throw up new ideas for development. Simply send text to input your request. From my perspective, with all the opportunities that AI gives to a person, it should be perceived not as a threat, but as an opportunity. After all, while neural networks can give out ideas for inspiration, people can create something new, completely unique. What’s more, people can concentrate on something more important and think how they can change the world to the better side with the help of neural nets. The condition of constant complaining, and fear is nowhere near development.

In conclusion, I would like to say that neural networks will not completely replace artists, designers, and musicians in the near future. Technology is evolving rapidly, but it is still limited in its ability to understand and replicate human creativity and emotion. Neural nets can help and improve performance, but they will never fully replace humans because they lack the unique human touch and perspective required for all manifestations of art.

Links:

https://medium.com/codex/future-of-graphic-design-artificial-intelligence-and-machine-a05332921014

https://futurism.com/a-new-ai-can-write-music-as-well-as-a-human-composer

https://hi-news.ru/eto-interesno/mozhet-li-nejroset-zamenit-xudozhnikov-pisatelej-i-programmistov.html?ysclid=ldso70yf2a847515369#i-3

https://petapixel.com/2023/02/05/will-ai-destroy-the-professional-headshot-industry/

Tagged ai art, design

31 January 2023

9 Comments

AI, Software

What is Volvo city safety? How is AI involved?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

What is Volvo?

Volvo is a Swedish manufacturing company that specializes in producing luxury automobiles and commercial vehicles. The company was founded in 1927 and its headquarters is located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo has been owned by the Chinese automotive company Geely since 2010. The company’s name, Volvo, is derived from the Latin word “volvere” which means “to roll.”

What is Volvo City safety?

Volvo City safety is a system containing a camera and a radar, that provides drivers with additional safety measures. This system can detect vehicles and motorcycles, pedestrians and bikes crossing your path, and objects in front of your car in the dark. In the case of the first one when vehicles are driving the same direction as you and you drive less than 31 mph, this system can avoid a collision without a problem. In the case of the second one when a pedestrian tries to cross the road and you are driving under 28 mph it can avoid a collision. In all these situations the system alerts you first and if you do not react it will hit the brakes by itself. If you were driving faster than these limits this system can help to reduce the possible impact. Volvo city safety also has flaws such as when you do not clean your wind shield the laser radar can work inaccurately. The same happens when the wind shield has ice on it or there is fog outside.

How is AI used for this system?

AI is used in the camera to detect other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. The AI system analyzes the terabits of data with examples of how certain objects look like. Based on this, sensors and determines the appropriate response, such as applying the brakes or providing a warning to the driver.

In my opinion, Volvo safety system is an excellent feature that can prevent many accidents and save loads of lives. This policy by Volvo to make car driving as safe as possible is certainly good for our society. However, I am concerned about a situation where these sencors would work inaccurately, it could also cause accidents because of unwanted actions such as braking. I know it is unlikely to happen and the system is made to perfection, but we need to evaluate how often this system could cause such incidents.

https://www.auto-swiat.pl/wiadomosci/aktualnosci/volvo-city-safety-wyznacza-nowe-granice-bezpieczenstwa/9lxve35

https://www.underrinervolvocars.com/what-is-volvo-city-safety.htm

29 January 2023

13 Comments

AI, Apps, Business, Security, Software

Żabka Nano- the innovative future of convenience stores

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Many of you are definitely familiar with a Polish chain of convenience stores called “Żabka”. The owner, has opened up their first 7 stores in 1998, and has quite literally spread around the whole map of Poland (and even slightly outside of it! You can find a few “Žabka” stores in Chech Republic! as well) . It is easily one of the most popular stores in Poland today, and recently, in 2021 a brand-new concept of Żabka has been introduced- Żabka Nano.

Żabka Nano is not only the most innovative store in Poland but also the largest autonomous chain store in Europe. The overall idea of autonomous stores already exists in Australia, Japan or South Korea (and probably somewhere in the US), but Poland’s Żabka still overtook all other potential European competitors.

The main difference between the two stores (the original and the autonomous one) are the employees. More precisely, the lack of them. The idea of Żabka Nano is that it can be open 24/7 and accessed using a credit card or żappka- the stores app that allows you to collect points for your purchases. However, if you wish to enter with the app, you need to make sure you have funds in your account. Moving on, once you’ve put your credit card near the reader at the entrance of the store, the doors to Żabka Nano open. The easy accessibility to enter by card has been implemented by the Żabka’s collaboration with AiFi, in all of the Nano stores.

Żappka” – nowa aplikacja rabatowa sieci sklepów Żabka - mobiRANK.pl

It is a great way of saving your time since you don’t have to stand in a queue to buy your necessities. The store itself is usually a lot smaller than the normal Żabka stores (to no one’s surprise), mostly because it offers less goods than the basic stores. For instance, you will find yourself not being able to purchase alcohol or cigarettes, but you can buy 0% beer (what’s the point in that though). You will also find basic products, such as; water, snacks, juices and refreshments, ice cream and frozen food.

Pierwsza Żabka Nano już działa w akademiku

For the Żabka customers, you all probably know about the famous Żabka hot-dogs. In case that’s you and the nearest Żabka near you happens to be Nano, fear not. You can still get your hot-dogs. The store offers an interesting service for the hot-dog lovers, where you have a robot that grills and assembles the whole hot-dog right in front of you. Keep in mind though that it may not always succeed as it’s assembled by a robot and not a person, so it has its failures at times. The robot is called Robbie and its software has over 15000 lines of code. The order of your snack takes less than a minute (unless you’re indecisive) and the display next to the hot-dog stand shows you the ordering options where you choose the size, type of the sausage and the sauces you wish to have in your hot-dog. After that, you just wait and watch Robbie prepare your meal.

Żabka inwestuje w roboty w sklepach autonomicznych, w jednym z nich działa robot przygotowujący hot dogi | Donald.pl

Onto the security stuff, how does the store know what you take, and how does it not charge you extra? The store doesn’t actually use any shelf-sensors. It does have cameras inside the store, just like all the other stores, but this time, they’re used for camera-vision technology provided by AiFi. To respect the customer’s privacy, customers are identified by the system without the use of biometrics or facial recognition. The cameras only track the movement of the client’s, while the product recognition is performed by AI computer vision. Using key point tracking technology, the system creates a stickman from each customer who enters the store, to which the system supports three sessions running simultaneously, each with a small number of participants.

All in all, Żabka Nano is a great innovation and it does help those who crave a snack anytime after 11PM- after all the normal Żabka stores close. It’s interesting to see how the technology improves everyday and how the world easily adapts to it. Do you think Żabka Nano is a good innovation? Or maybe a beginning to something bigger in the future?

Pierwsza Żabka Nano otwarta w Decathlonie

22 January 2023

The Environmental Impact of Computational Science

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Source: Kingston Technology https://www.kingston.com/pl/blog/servers-and-data-centers/4-things-data-centers-can-learn-from-hpc

Computational science has revolutionized the way we understand and interact with the world around us. From simulating weather patterns to modeling the behavior of subatomic particles, computational methods have enabled scientists to make breakthroughs that would have been impossible just a few decades ago. However, as our reliance on computational methods has grown, so too has the carbon footprint of this field.

According to a recent study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the carbon footprint of computational science is much larger than previously thought. The study estimates that the energy consumption of high-performance computing (HPC) centers, which are used to run large-scale simulations and analyses, is equivalent to that of a small country. In fact, the study estimates that the carbon footprint of HPC centers is larger than that of the entire aviation industry.

The reason for this large carbon footprint is the enormous amount of energy required to power and cool the thousands of computer processors and storage devices that make up HPC centers. These machines use a tremendous amount of electricity to run, and even more to cool, which generates significant amounts of greenhouse gases.

The study’s authors also point out that the carbon footprint of computational science is likely to grow in the future as the demand for HPC services increases. This is due in part to the growing amount of data that scientists need to process and analyze, as well as the increasing complexity of simulations and models.

Loïc Lannelongue, the author of the study was curious about the environmental impact of his own research. Together with Jason Grealey from the University of Melbourne, they decided to look further into ways of calculating the carbon footprint of HPC centers. They expected to find an already established carbon footprint calculator online. Which to their surprise, they did not. It lead them to believe that the environmental impact of HPC centers is a phenomon that many scholars aren’t aware of or are not taking into consideration when utilizing HPC centers for their work.

Source: Texas Advanced Computing Center https://cen.acs.org/physical-chemistry/computational-chemistry/Computational-scientists-look-lessons-learned/99/i28

Inspired to fill this gap in the scientific community, Lannelongue created Green Algorithms. A website that encourages other researchers to be mindful of the carbon footprint of computational science by imparting knowledge on how to reduce your impact while also providing a high performance computing carbon footprint calculator for anyone to access. Lannelongue doesn’t hope to stop researchers from using HPC centers, but instead to be more mindful of their impact. For which the calculator is a perfect tool for.

While the carbon footprint of computational science may seem daunting, on the green algorithms website Lannelongue provides steps that can be taken to reduce it. One approach is to make HPC centers more energy efficient by using more efficient processors and storage devices, as well as by using more efficient cooling systems. Additionally, scientists can also reduce their carbon footprint by using cloud-based HPC services, which allow them to access large amounts of computing power without the need to build and maintain their own HPC centers.

Another approach is to use distributed computing methods, which allow scientists to tap into the computing power of thousands of individual computers, rather than relying on a single HPC center. This can significantly reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint of computational science.

In conclusion, computational science plays a vital role in advancing our understanding of the world around us, but it also has a significant carbon footprint. It is important for scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to be aware of this footprint and to take steps to reduce it. By making HPC centers more energy efficient, using cloud-based HPC services, and using distributed computing methods, we can continue to make breakthroughs in science while also reducing our impact on the environment.

Bibliography:

Brierley, Craig. “Big data’s hidden cost: The carbon footprint of computational science.” TechXplore. Published January 20, 2023. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-01-big-hidden-carbon-footprint-science.html

Green Algorithms. “Carbon Footprint Calculator”. Green Algorithms Accessed January 22, 2023. https://www.green-algorithms.org/

Lannelongue, Loïc. “Carbon footprint, the (not so) hidden cost of high performance computing.” BCS. Published October 14, 2021. https://www.bcs.org/articles-opinion-and-research/carbon-footprint-the-not-so-hidden-cost-of-high-performance-computing/

15 January 2023

3 Comments

AI, Software

Volvo – safe, reliable, innovative. AI in new safety technology of Volvo

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Everyone who know what is Volvo have no doubts that it is the safest car that you can find on the road. The reason why this car manufacturer has such a good reputation and market demand is hidden in the long history of the company. In fact, the most impressive thing in the successful brand history is the installing three-point safety seat belt into the serious production PV544. Nowadays every modern car has seat belts and only thanks to this million of people saved their lives. The Volvo’s inventions did not end there, and every decade their cars became safer.

Now, the company has not changed its attitude to the production of cars, but on the contrary now combines production with the use of artificial intelligence. Moreover, not only wants to produce cars that will be safe for passengers , but looks to safeguard the actual environment.

For instance, the new release of Volvo car’s fully electric flagship SUV- the Volvo EX90 featuring OnePilot: AI-powered software that will raise the safety of cars to a higher level.

And what this software will do?

Zenseact (that introduces OnePilot) main goal is to turn cars into perfect drivers – is based on how human will act in different situations. Different kinds of principles and set of methods that improve road safety, create the technology training the software to avoid unpleasant situations on the road, as people would do. All the cars with this technology will record real-life accidents and will be a step towards studying situations on the road. As a result, such software, which will be gradually updated, will make the Volvo EX90 even safer.

Volvo EX90 (2023) – oficjalne zdjęcia i informacje

In addition, there is also new lidar-based technology in the new Volvo, which makes it possible to drive the car in darkness. It can be able to detect different objects at a distance of up to 250 meters ahead. Artificial intelligence will do everything for you to avoid a dangerous situation.

To sum up, AI has again proven its usefulness. I will continue to follow the development of this technology. I would like to believe that all car manufacturers will use the same technologies as in Volvo EX90 in the coming years. Maybe after that we will not see so many terrible incidents on the road.

Sources:

https://www.gunthervolvocars.net/volvo-technology.htm

AI software company Zenseact launches a new generation of safety technology in the Volvo EX90.

https://www.volvocars.com/intl/v/car-safety/safety-heritage

12 January 2023

1 Comment

Bez kategorii, Business, Security, Software

Is metaverse your next workplace?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Since the Metaverse concept was announced to the public many small communities tried to develop their own “metaverses” and experiment with them, but they were only private versions. Engineers are still looking for the most suitable solutions to create a platform, which would be available for everyone, and safe to operate in. Many companies are currently working on developing different forms of metaverse using such technologies as virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). There are still many concerns and technical challenges that they need to overcome to fully present the final product to the public. The release date is not easy to predict, it could take years if not longer, but when it will take the form of a flawless platform that is safe to work in, it could have an enormous impact on jobs and the whole communication industry. It may even mean that some of us, would not have to perform our jobs in a traditional way, but in the virtual world. The same tasks or projects could be done virtually, using the skills and knowledge from the time before the release of the Metaverse.

Science Fiction or Reality: Taking offices into metaverse, HR News, ETHRWorld — https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/workplace-4-0/science-fiction-or-reality-taking-offices-into-metaverse/90530930?redirect=1

In the past few years, remote working became very popular, and more and more people was choosing to perform their job from home. The main reason for such decisions was the pandemic and the lockdown, which prohibited going outside and promoted staying at home lifestyle. The use of such platforms as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other communication channels significantly increased, and people were taught how to work and operate on those platforms. It could be called as some kind of demo version of metaverse workplace because it has similar features. However, it was designed to perform mostly office-related jobs or studying, but not other professions, which, as it is said, are going to be possible to perform in Metaverse.

What is interesting to highlight here, after the lockdown, when it was no longer forbidden to leave houses and work traditionally, some people found out that their work does not have to be done in their workplace or office and it could be done more conveniently from home with the use of technology. It is said it even became a trend when office workers decided to perform their work remotely from their homes and visit the office or workplace more rarely.

Remote working is one of the greatest innovations of 21 century and had a significant influence on the job market. The Metaverse concept would be a huge step forward when it comes to working. In Metaverse users are going to be connected to it differently than usual
way of working using a keyboard and screen.
“Not only will the internet likely no longer exist behind a screen, but it is probable that we will interact with it differently.
We’ll manipulate objects using augmented reality (AR), explore virtual-reality (VR) worlds, and meld the real and the digital in ways we can currently not imagine.” (Jane Wakefield, BBC, 2022)

Why The Future Of Work Could Take Place In The Metaverse — https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/09/08/why-the-future-of-work-could-take-place-in-the-metaverse/?sh=1138abda3bcf

In metaverse, a workplace or the office could differ from the real world one and take the most user-friendly and convenient form. “Why would we want an office in the metaverse that looks like our real office?” he says. “The whole point of creative spaces in new realities is to expand our experiences, not to simply replicate what we’ve already had in the real world.” (Herman Narula, BBC, 2022)
One of the main benefits of metaverse usage is that it can connect people, from different locations and time zones, in real-time meetings with built in environment to make it more convenient and actually experience it as if it was real. That solution has a great advantage over current remote meetings on Teams, Zoom etc. Such platforms have communication limitations and “researchers found that reduced mobility and lack of access to body language and other non-verbal cues are both major contributory factors.” (Workplace, Meta, 2022)

Meta states that metaverse is going to differ and eliminate all limitations of meetings.
“In the metaverse, all that can change. We’ll be able to create highly realistic 3D avatars – that is, virtual representations of ourselves – that mirror our body language as we speak, and we’ll enter VR and AR environments using those avatars.” (Workplace, Meta, 2022)

In my opinion, Metaverse would be a revolutionary technology, but it also will be very difficult to moderate and keep the virtual world safe. Feel free to share your opinions in the comment section. Thank you for reading.

References

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64173594

https://www.workplace.com/blog/how-we-work-in-the-metaverse

https://www.workplace.com/future-of-work

https://chat.openai.com/chat

https://venturebeat.com/virtual/metaverse-heading-workplace/

https://news.stanford.edu/2021/02/23/four-causes-zoom-fatigue-solutions/

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/workplace-4-0/science-fiction-or-reality-taking-offices-into-metaverse/90530930?redirect=1

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/09/08/why-the-future-of-work-could-take-place-in-the-metaverse/?sh=1138abda3bcf

10 January 2023

Deepmind’s AlphaCode Satisfactory in a Programming Competition

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Source: Maciek905/Dreamstime stock image

AI code generation systems are a type of artificial intelligence technology that is capable of automatically generating code. These systems have the potential to revolutionize the way software is developed, making it faster and more efficient.

One of the main benefits of AI code generation systems is their ability to save time. These systems can analyze a given problem and automatically generate a solution in the form of code. This can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes for developers to write code from scratch. Additionally, these systems can often generate code that is more efficient and optimized than code written by humans, which can lead to faster and more reliable software.

Another benefit of AI code generation systems is their ability to improve the accuracy and reliability of code. By analyzing a problem and generating a solution, these systems can help eliminate human error that can lead to bugs and other issues in software. This can help reduce the time and resources needed for debugging and testing, which can save money and improve the overall quality of the software.

One of the main challenges of AI code generation systems is their reliance on data. These systems need large amounts of data to learn and generate code, which can be a problem if the data is not available or is of poor quality. Additionally, these systems are only as good as the algorithms and models they are based on, and it can be difficult to design and train these models to generate high-quality code.

Despite these challenges, there has been significant progress in the development of AI code generation systems in recent years. One example is the development of “neural machine translation” systems, which are capable of automatically translating text from one language to another. These systems have been able to achieve impressive levels of accuracy, and they have been widely adopted in a variety of industries.

Another example is the development of “auto-coding” systems, which are capable of generating code for a variety of programming languages. These systems have the potential to significantly reduce the time and effort required to develop software, and they are being explored by a number of companies and organizations.

Examining the abilities of AI code generation systems can be tricky. One means of doing so is to place the system in a programming competition against regular human programmers. A recent experiment of that kind was performed by Deepmind. Deepmind, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. is a trailblazing artificial intelligence research laboratory. The experiment was carried out with the use of its AlphaCode deep learning algorithm. AlphaCode converts user input into functioning code by first rewriting it as an action plan. It transforms it into set steps and finally turns it into fully working code. AlphaCode achieved an ‘average’ rating in the competition. A promising acceleration for AI code generation systems.

Overall, AI code generation systems have the potential to revolutionize the way software is developed. These systems can save time and improve the accuracy and reliability of code, and they have already made significant progress in a number of areas. However, there are still challenges to be addressed in terms of data availability and model design, and it will be interesting to see how these systems continue to evolve and improve in the coming years.

Bibliography:

DeepMind. “Competitive programming with AlphaCode.” Deepmind. Published December 8, 2022. https://www.deepmind.com/blog/competitive-programming-with-alphacode

Li, Yujia et al. “Competition-level code generation with AlphaCode.” Science. Published December 8, 2022. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq1158

Kolter, J. Zico. “AlphaCode and “data-driven” programming.” Science. Published December 8, 2022. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add8258

Deepmind. “AlphaCode Attention Visualization.” Deepmind. Accessed January 9, 2023. https://alphacode.deepmind.com/

4 January 2023

9 Comments

AI, Software

AI IN CANCER TREATMENT

Reading Time: 2 minutes

https://emag.medicalexpo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/InnerEye_Cambridge-1.png

Over the years, Cancer has risen to be one of the world’s leading causes of death. Many steps have been taken in trying to end the deadly killer disease AI being one of them. AI is becoming more common in cancer treatment and has the potential to change how we diagnose and treat cancer. It is being utilized in a few ways, including image analysis, personalized treatment, drug development, and clinical decision support. This can assist doctors in detecting cancer sooner and more accurately, leading to more effective treatment.

The application of AI in cancer practice includes providing clinical decision support for cancer diagnosis and screening, processing medical data for cancer detection or characterization of patient prognosis, and optimizing care delivery and clinical operations by increasing system capacity and allocating resources.

One area where AI is having a significant impact is in the diagnosis of cancer. This involves the ability of its algorithms to analyze medical images, such as CT scans or MRIs, and detect signs of cancer that may be overlooked by human radiologists, potentially leading to earlier detection of cancer. This can help doctors to make more accurate diagnoses and prognoses, choose the most appropriate treatment plan, and monitor the effectiveness of treatment over time. This can lead to more personalized and effective treatment for individual patients and may help to detect cancer at an earlier stage, when it is most treatable.

Another application of AI in cancer treatment is optimizing chemotherapy and radiotherapy by analyzing patient data to determine the most effective dosage and schedule, reducing side effects and increasing effectiveness. Additionally, AI is being explored for identifying new targeted therapies, analyzing genomics data for personalized treatment options, and developing new drugs. While still in the early stages, the incorporation of AI in cancer treatment has the potential to significantly improve the way cancer is diagnosed, treated, and managed, with the possibility for even more innovative uses in the future as AI technology continues to advance.

https://images.app.goo.gl/rJw8BroVqEYdak1a6

In my view, AI has revolutionized the healthcare industry especially in oncology in ways we could not have thought of say 50 years ago. Many people’s lives have been saved, and many continue to survive as a result f this. I believe if we continue to invest in artificial intelligence to help us change our health industry, we might be able to find a way to curb all killer diseases. Those are my thoughts though , feel free to comment on yours.

SOURCES:

https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2022/artificial-intelligence-cancer-imaging

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8965797/

https://images.app.goo.gl/hAFaK1VsnNNngA8T7

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332220304479

3 January 2023

4 Comments

AI, Software

Future of self-driving trucks

Reading Time: 3 minutes

There has been a lot of attention given to the use of autonomous vehicles in recent years, with self-driving trucks being a particularly noteworthy example. These trucks have the potential to transform the way goods are transported and could have a major impact on the global economy. This article will examine the potential benefits and challenges of autonomous trucks and consider what the future may hold for this innovative technology.

First of all, autonomous vehicles can help transportation businesses considerably save expenses, which is one of its key advantages. By eliminating the need for a human driver, companies could save on salaries, benefits, and training costs. According to the New York Times, in early 2022 Kodiak Robotics in partnership with U.S Express tested self-driving trucks with so-called “safe drivers” monitoring them. The result showed that the route that normally takes up to 10 days for a standard truck could be done in only 5 days. It confirmed that autonomous trucks can drive for much longer periods as they don’t require multiple breaks for drivers, leading to higher efficiency and productivity. However, safe drivers had to take control of the truck multiple times on route which proves that as for now the software is still in development and not ready for fully autonomous use. Moreover, companies are now looking to only use self-driving trucks on highways as it is much easier and safer to configure rather than bringing them into cities. The trucks would reach so-called “transfer hubs” in which the cargo would be transferred to standard trucks and then driven the last kilometres by regular drivers to the final destination.

Another potential benefit of autonomous trucks is their ability to address the shortage of drivers in the transportation industry. The trucking industry faces challenges in attracting and retaining qualified drivers due to the demanding nature of the job, which involves extended periods on the road. According to The American Trucking Association, the industry is short about 78,000 drivers which is the second-highest level on record after 81,258 in 2021. The situation in Europe is quite the same, according to the International Road Transport Union, without any action Europe could lack 2 million drivers by 2026. Autonomous trucks have the potential to alleviate this shortage by allowing companies to transport goods on long-distance routes by trucks itself, whereas, at the same time, human drivers will still be needed for the first and last kilometres of travel, preventing potential job losses. In most cases drivers are paid by travelled kilometres. Therefore it will also be crucial for governments and companies to ensure proper wages to retain current drivers due to the shorter distances.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image.png

The adoption of autonomous trucks could also bring environmental benefits. These vehicles can be programmed to maximize fuel efficiency, resulting in lower carbon emissions and a reduced impact on the environment. In addition, they have the potential to enhance safety on the roads. Human error is a major factor in accidents, and the use of self-driving trucks could significantly decrease the number of accidents caused by driver fatigue and distraction.

Overall, I believe that the future of autonomous trucks is bright, but it will require the development of new technologies, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks to fully realize their potential. As these challenges are addressed, we can expect to see significant advancements in the transportation industry, with autonomous trucks playing a major role in shaping the future of transportation.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/28/business/driverless-trucks-highways.html

https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/mapping-the-future-of-autonomous-trucks

https://www.iru.org/news-resources/newsroom/europe-driver-shortage-triple-2026-if-no-action-new-iru-report

https://ata.msgfocus.com/files/amf_highroad_solution/project_2358/ATA_Driver_Shortage_Report_2022_Executive_Summary.October22.pdf

29 December 2022

3 Comments

Software

Food of the Future: Agricultural waste is used for growing synthetic meat.

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Eating meat is a way of life for many people. Meat is considered essential source of protein and contains many other nutrients. But it is also known that the breeding of poultry and cattle is inefficient and requires a huge amount of resources. Huge areas, water and fodder for livestock are given to pastures. In addition, cattle breeding harms the atmosphere. At the same time, the world’s population is growing relentlessly. Scientists estimate that by 2050 the world’s population will grow from the current 7.7 to 9.7 billion, and by the end of the century it will reach 11 billion people. Naturally, the issue of feeding a growing population becomes more acute.

That is why marketologists and statisticians predict in the coming years the growth of the market for artificial meat from laboratory, which is gaining fame on the wave of interest in responsible consumption. Startups around the world are creating a new industry, promising salvation for the environment without compromises on taste, composition and quality.

I believe humanity is doomed to abandon natural meat and replacement of animal products is becoming a common practice in modern society. Meat substitutes are created using protein synthesis, which involves combining amino acids to form a new type of protein. Scientists have come a long way in creating realistic substitutes for vegetable and animal protein. However, the future of meat synthesis is still unknown.

From my perspective, the best way to create realistic meat substitutes is biotechnology. Scientists are learning to synthesize different types of proteins from plants. But there is one problem: the production of a high-quality analogue of meat, which has the same taste and qualities, is now too expensive. But recently, a team of scientists from Singapore and China has made a breakthrough in this area. They have found a way to use food waste to grow meat, reducing production costs and helping to make cultured meat a potential food option for people in the future.

Muscle cells multiply easily and vigorously in nutrient media, but need a wireframe to give them a characteristic shape to become meat. Without it, the meat will most likely resemble a lump of mashed potatoes. Unique wireframes can be created using new 3D printing technology. However, it is difficult and expensive, as it requires the use of food and safe neutral substances. The use of collagen or gelatin destroys the idea of sprouts because they are extracted from the flesh of living organisms, and edible polymers are too expensive. Finding cost-effective edible ink for printing is one of the major challenges in the production of cultured meat.

In search of an alternative, scientists paid attention to agricultural waste in the form of barley and rye husks. Modern technologies make it possible to extract proteins, which, after processing, can be turned into the basis of “ink” for 3D printers and scaled to create the same framework for the growth of muscle tissue.This technology allows more efficient processing of products and significantly reduces the need for animal husbandry.

I believe that this method of printing using such ink has great potential for future meat synthesis. The husk that remains from the grains is not suitable for food and in fact it is thrown away. This is a cheap resource that can be used quite successfully. I believe that the ideal option in the future may be further development in this area, finding new sources that can serve as a framework for growing stem cells. This creates less harm to nature, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, since no animal dies for this food source, which is more ethical. In addition, this type of meat synthesis can help produce meat faster than traditional methods.

In conclusion, the idea of scientists pushed me to another idea: the way to our survival is the reuse and recycling of resources. In any field, whether it is the production of synthetic meat or any other. We are now at a stage of development where we can no longer be mere consumers and only take resources from nature, but must find and use other ways to meet our needs.