Digital Literacy: The Rise of AI

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy refers to the cohesive and effective use of technology through the usage of skills and knowledge. As our world becomes increasingly tech- savvy, it is expected that we know at the very least, the basic fundamentals. But what are the fundamentals?

Firstly, approach technology with a new way of thinking and an open mind. Then start building practical knowledge like understanding how to type on a laptop, what is cloud storage, etc. Also, understanding the world of cybersecurity and what constitutes stealing information rather than getting inspiration is imperative. Starting with these fundamentals is essential—so why wait?

Understanding digital literacy is imperative as it sets the foundation for navigating the evolving digital era but do you understand what that means?

The digital era was and still is, very progressive, with engineers constantly pushing the boundaries of technology. However, this did not happen overnight, there were numerous stages before reaching this era where AI has become so predominant. Firstly, there was Web 1.0 which was a static, read- only version of the internet where users could only read what was on the web pages but not interact. Then came Web 2.0, a big jump from Web 1.0. This was a dynamic version of the internet where users could both read and write. Then we have Web 3.0, which allows users to not only read and write but also heavily uses AI. 

What exactly is AI and why is it so important?

Humans have always had a deep interest in creating a machine with the ability to mimic the human brain. And thus, the quest for discovering AI has been around for ages, but it truly began in the 1900s, where multiple scientists questioned the measures of building a robot with human- like tendencies as well as when the term “Artificial Intelligence” was coined and from this, the development of AI has continued to grow tremendously.

The transition to AI has led to numerous tasks and responsibilities being more efficient and cost- effective in the long run. Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to a mixture of numerous technologies that when put together results in tools and machines functioning with human- like levels of intelligence. 

AI is more than just using Chat gpt or other social media AI systems, like Meta, Snapchat etc for homework or gathering information. It is also efficient in fraud detection, smart homes, drones, cybersecurity and much more. 

Due to the emergence of Artificial Intelligence, businesses can acquire data at much larger scales and process at even faster levels than before.

“According to Forbes, the most common uses for AI in business are:

• Customer service – 56%

• Cybersecurity and fraud management – 51%

• Digital personal assistants – 47%

• Customer relationship management – 46%

• Inventory management – 40%”

How far do you think Artificial Intelligence will influence our future?

References

McDonald, M. (n.d.). A brief guide to digital technology. Duke Corporate Education. Retrieved August 10, 2024, from https://www.dukece.com/insights/a-brief-guide-to-digital-technology/

Minton, R. (2023, January 26). What is Digital Literacy: Definition and Uses in Daily Life. Learning.com. Retrieved August 10, 2024, from https://www.learning.com/blog/what-is-digital-literacy-definition-and-uses-in-daily-life/

The Rise of AI. (n.d.). The-Rise-of-AI-Transforming-Startups-in-2024.jpg

Statistics trends. (n.d.). ​​https://www.nu.edu/blog/ai-statistics-trends

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI), why is AI important. (n.d.). NetApp. Retrieved August 10, 2024, from https://www.netapp.com/artificial-intelligence/what-is-artificial-intelligence/

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Why is it Important? (n.d.). Accenture. Retrieved August 10, 2024, from https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/artificial-intelligence-summary-index

What is the history of artificial intelligence (AI)? (n.d.). Tableau. Retrieved August 10, 2024, from https://www.tableau.com/data-insights/ai/history

Willing, N., & Medleva, N. (2024, June 6). What is Web 1.0? Definition, History & How It Works Techopedia. Techopedia. Retrieved August 10, 2024, from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/27960/web-10