AI isn’t just about the headline-making big data applications. AI also gives us an amazing opportunity to improve our lot outside of work – with our home life, ongoing learning, socialising and hobbies. This article sets out some ways AI will be used to augment our human attributes as we pursue our pastimes. What is really exciting is that if you can’t find an AI solution to help you with your hobby now, it’s likely that you will do, in the not-too-distant future.
With a little inspiration, it might even be you that comes up with an innovative AI use case, something I will address in an upcoming piece.
Music and Art
A range of AI tools is now emerging that apply machine learning to music to create intriguing new content. The Google Magenta research project provides innovative approaches to the use of AI tech for artists, with a current focus on music generation:
https://magenta.tensorflow.org
Looking to the commercial world, a leader in this field is AIVA, https://www.aiva.ai/ who enable the development of bespoke music for video games, background music and more personalised tunes to reflect ones mood or personality.
The opportunities AI presents for pictorial art are rather more nuanced. It can take pictures and adjust them; for example researchers at the University of Tubingen in Germany have created https://deepart.io/ which analyses a still image and then allows the user to turn it into a piece of art from a range of styles that the user can choose from. The user is then free to choose how to use that image – it could be an item of clothing, a high-quality print to canvas, or in a way completely unique to that user.
Sports
AI-powered video analytics are entering the semi-professional and serious amateur sectors too. Gameface http://www.gameface.ai/ offers detailed sports analytics that can be used by football and cricket coaches to help players perfect their techniques as well as determining team tactics.
At last year’s Big Bang Fair, the semi-professional football team Wingate and Finchley FC demonstrated their AI football coach, that had been commissioned for development by the Big Bang Fair. https://youtu.be/skQEl9R_xdM. The AI coach analyses basic data about the club’s players and the opposition team’s preferred formation and style of play. The AI coach then recommends a starting formation and style of play as well as some tactics, such as substitutions, during the game.
AI-powered Virtual and Augmented Reality
Whilst some use cases have seen initial uptake, including training aids for sports, experiences for shopping, cinemas, and tourism, VR and AR have seen false dawns before and are by no means mainstream yet. Virtual and Augmented reality will doubtless be used in a variety of innovative and beneficial ways, both in professional spheres as well as our personal lives. A good example of a practical use was developed by Stanford University; their spin-out company Strivr specialises in Virtual Reality solutions for training in chaotic environments. https://youtu.be/FHsL8sKoA_8
Having Fun
Whatever your hobby or pastime, AI can augment your natural talent by providing advanced insights and experience, helping you to get the most fulfilment out of your spare time. However, at the end of the day, what you do and how you do it is entirely up to you – AI will be there to help. Most of all, have fun with this new wave of innovation – it promises to be the most interesting and engaging technological phase so far.
If you would like to talk about how AI might benefit you both inside and out of professional life, please get in touch. As well as my book, You++, I have a variety of content and consultative programmes that can benefit you and your organisation.