Intelligent Agents

AI that works for humans

Machines are driven by learning and are continually learning, just as we will increasingly need to adapt to new technologies, they will also need to learn about the future we wish to build.

The decision to entrust a suitable task to an intelligent machine requires guided analysis.

Understand if the task's trigger can be reliably handled by Artificial Intelligence.

Verify if there is a need for focused attention on any aspect of performance.

Define if the task can be performed without user input, including their preferences and goals.

The potential of AI as a resource that complements human capabilities.

An Intelligent Agent is something that perceives its environment and acts upon it, often proactively.

Distinguished by its intrinsic characteristics that mirror aspects of human intelligence, it can be designed to learn from experiences, solve complex problems, and engage in conversations. Something that perceives the environment through sensors and acts autonomously and rationally, using reasoning or learning to complete tasks and achieve goals.

There are fundamental characteristics that distinguish something like an Intelligent Agent from conventional experiences with AI.

Autonomy: Operating independently, making decisions and acting in a defined environment.

Perception: Having the ability to perceive the environment or receive relevant information to perform tasks.

Decision-making: Based on perceptions and goals.

Action and interaction: Interacting with the environment to achieve objectives.

Adaptability: Adapting to situations, adjusting actions according to circumstances.

It's not about "if" or "how" but "why?"

By adopting a more pragmatic view, without attributing human characteristics, we can analyze and select technological solutions based on their suitability for established tasks and goals.

If the task is something like learning a language, for example, it is not feasible to delegate this task to a machine and expect to acquire the skill automatically. Similarly, it doesn't make sense to use a humanoid robot to wash dishes when this task can be performed more efficiently and economically by a dishwasher.

It's also an ethical principle to avoid assuming human tasks to later secretly assign them to AI.

AI as a resource for society holds transformative potential but requires a careful approach to ensure fair and ethical benefits.

"People ask me what my painting hides. Nothing! I paint visible images that evoke something incomprehensible [...]

[…] But obviously I can't stop people from interpreting my canvases. If they prefer to walk through walls instead of using the door, what do you expect me to do?" In Praise of the Dialectic, René Magritte (1898-1967)

Decisions made by Artificial Intelligence can have significant impacts on people's lives and society, challenging us to define and implement not only more accessible solutions but also ethical standards for their development and use.

Transparent Algorithms: Ensuring that AI systems operate transparently so that decisions can be understood and challenged by users and regulators.

Bias Mitigation: Actively working to identify and reduce biases in AI systems, which often stem from skewed training data or flawed algorithmic design.

Diverse Development Teams: Encouraging the participation of diverse groups in AI research and development to bring different perspectives that can foresee and address a wider range of ethical issues.

Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to emerging regulations that aim to protect the public from potential harms caused by AI technologies.

Community Engagement: Involving stakeholders from various backgrounds in the design and implementation phases to ensure the technology meets the needs of diverse populations.

Ethical Training Data: Ensuring the data used to train AI systems is not only representative but also collected and used in a manner consistent with ethical standards.

It is necessary to rethink diversity, equality, and inclusion in human-machine interactions while training AI systems with inclusive and representative data, ensuring that technology is used fairly and equitably. This approach helps prevent biases that could perpetuate social inequalities and ensures that AI solutions benefit a broad spectrum of society.

"In front of a window seen from inside a room, I placed a painting representing the exact part of the landscape covered by the painting [...]

[…] That's how we see the world, we see it outside of ourselves, and yet we have only a single representation of it inside of us." The Human Condition, René Magritte (1898-1967)

In addition, we face the complexity of deciding the extent to which we should allow technology to penetrate and transform human experiences.

Reflect on AI not only as an automation tool but also as Augmented Humanity tool, something that can complement and enrich human life, without compromising core values.

¹ Definition of tasks for intelligent machines like Algo Aí

² Characteristics of Algo Aí Intelligent Agents

³ Decision-making flow applied to the Algo Aí robot