Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here, and in many ways, you are already benefiting from it without even realizing it. AI is advancing rapidly, and the media often struggles to keep up with this technology because many journalists lack the necessary background to fully understand it. As a result, discussions about AI and answers to related questions may not always be accurate. While the media will eventually catch up, it is crucial for you to stay informed since current coverage may be insufficient. This piece aims to provide you with a basic understanding of AI without delving into technical jargon.
For transparency, I want to mention that I am using AI to assist with the research for this article. The information presented here reflects my opinions based on those findings. It’s also worth noting that I am utilizing AI as a tool to write this piece, a practice that many media outlets and businesses are adopting today. While these tools are advanced and user-friendly, understanding the behind-the-scenes structure of AI takes extensive education. However, you don’t need to know all the specifics to use AI effectively. What matters is that people begin using AI to appreciate its power and capabilities in our world today.
Writing becomes significantly easier with AI performing spell checks that actually identify grammatical issues and enhance sentence structure. For writing articles, I use an application called Grammarly that automatically checks my work as I type. The significant benefit is not the spell check function but the capability to suggest changes to paragraphs and the ability to rewrite your work completely. A year ago, some of these features weren't part of the app, but it has been improving quickly, providing more power to the user. Grammarly can perform article rewrites at your request, and the result is so professional that you would think the writer is highly competent and has a proven track record of writing. The following is an example of the result of rewriting this same paragraph using this tool. Note that I have already used Grammarly on this paragraph for basic grammar checks, as I usually do.
This rewrite capability challenges ownership because AI constantly utilizes existing data and selects the best content from the web. It's becoming increasingly easy for individuals to publish articles or books and share them on social media, without crediting the original authorship. The question arises: Is the writing truly their own, or should they credit the AI? While many proprietary and copyright issues persist, it’s important to recognize that even basic AI skills can empower anyone to create content. Many applications we use daily already utilize this technology.
I chose not to use AI rewrites because I believe my writing style doesn't align with the educational level generated by AI. Essentially, I’m not as intelligent as AI, and I prefer to take complex subjects and present them in straightforward language. This approach simplifies the writing process for me and enhances understanding for my readers, in my opinion.
Now and in the future, many will use AI to publish articles and books. So, where do copyrights come in? How many are using this tool daily, yet can’t put two sentences together and present them as their own? I’m sure it is happening, but how do you know unless you know the person doing the writing? Where is the red line on copyrights of others? AI is only using what is available on the internet, so someone wrote something somewhere, and AI took the best of the best to rewrite or write an article. Amazing.
Take a look at the following example, where someone recently used advanced AI to create a fake band and publish AI music. This phony band received over a million listeners. Wow, and how many knew that it was AI? Not many IMO.
What about this band and copyrights? I am sure the creator doesn’t care because he used AI to create this group and music to make money. If you understand AI, you would know that any music from this group is created from the best of the best of tunes on the internet. So, in actuality, they copied existing tunes to make their songs, so is this copyright infringement? If it is who is impacted? All of the music industry? Anyway, you get the point that AI is going to be attacked, and who knows where that will go. Hollywood is nuts, so they will most likely sue for some reason. Our courts will be busy in the future.
Let’s review some of the basics from the information I gathered from GrokX AI. Anything in quotes and Italics comes from AI, everything else is my opinion. Let’s start with the basic explanation of Artificial Intelligence:
“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is when computers or machines are designed to think and act like humans. It’s about teaching machines to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence, such as learning from experience, solving problems, understanding language, or recognizing images. AI is all around us, making life easier and more efficient in many ways. What is AI? At its core, AI is a combination of computer programs, algorithms (step-by-step instructions), and data that allow machines to mimic human abilities. AI systems analyze information, make decisions, and improve over time by learning from new data. Think of it as a super-smart assistant that can process tons of information quickly. There are two main types of AI:
Narrow AI: Designed for specific tasks. Most AI today is narrow AI.
General AI: A future goal where machines can do any intellectual task a human can. We’re not there yet!
How Does AI Work?AI works by combining three key elements:
Data: The information AI uses to learn (like pictures, text, or numbers).
Algorithms: Rules or instructions that tell the AI how to process the data.
Computing Power: Powerful computers that crunch the data and run the algorithms.
For example, AI might use a technique called machine learning, where it learns patterns from data. A subset of this, deep learning, uses artificial neural networks (inspired by the human brain) to tackle complex tasks like image recognition. AI is already part of our daily routines. Here are some relatable examples:
Virtual Assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant)
What it does: You ask, “What’s the weather today?” and the assistant understands your voice, searches the web, and replies.
How it works: AI uses natural language processing (NLP) to understand speech and generate responses.
Fun fact: In 2023, over 2 billion people used virtual assistants globally (source: Statista).
Recommendation Systems (Netflix, Spotify)
What it does: Netflix suggests movies you might like based on what you’ve watched.
How it works: AI analyzes your viewing history and compares it to patterns from millions of users to predict your preferences.
Impact: Netflix’s AI-driven recommendations account for 80% of what users watch (source: Netflix Technology Blog).
Self-Driving Cars (Tesla Autopilot)
What it does: Cars use AI to navigate roads, avoid obstacles, and follow traffic rules.
How it works: AI processes data from cameras, sensors, and GPS using deep learning to make real-time driving decisions.
Stat: By 2024, Tesla’s AI had driven over 3 billion miles in Autopilot mode (source: Tesla reports).
Facial Recognition (Smartphone Unlocking)
What it does: Your phone unlocks when it recognizes your face.
How it works: AI maps your facial features and compares them to stored data using deep learning.
Use case: Apple’s Face ID uses 30,000 invisible dots to create a 3D map of your face (source: Apple).
Chatbots (Customer Service)
What it does: You chat with a bot on a website to track an order or get help.
How it works: AI understands your questions and pulls answers from a database, often using NLP.
Example: In 2025, companies like Amazon use AI chatbots to handle millions of customer queries daily (source: Forbes).
Benefits of AI
Efficiency: AI automates repetitive tasks, like sorting emails or analyzing data, saving time.
Accuracy: AI can spot patterns in data (e.g., detecting fraud) better than humans in some cases.
Personalization: AI tailors experiences, like suggesting songs or ads, to your preferences.
Innovation: AI powers breakthroughs in healthcare (e.g., diagnosing diseases) and science.
Challenges of AI
Bias: AI can inherit biases from data. For example, facial recognition systems have struggled with accuracy for darker skin tones (source: NIST study, 2019).
Job Displacement: AI may replace some jobs, like data entry, though it also creates new roles (source: World Economic Forum).
Ethics: Questions arise about privacy (e.g., how data is used) and decision-making (e.g., who’s responsible if an AI makes a mistake?).
The Future of AI
AI is evolving fast. By 2030, it’s estimated to add $15.7 trillion to the global economy (source: PwC). Expect advancements in:
Healthcare: AI could predict diseases earlier using medical data.
Education: Personalized learning platforms powered by AI.
Environment: AI optimizing energy use to fight climate change.
Sources
Statista: Virtual assistant usage (2023).
Netflix Technology Blog: Recommendation algorithms.
Tesla: Autopilot mileage data (2024).
Apple: Face ID technology.
Forbes: AI in customer service (2025).
NIST: Facial recognition bias study (2019).
World Economic Forum: AI and jobs.
PwC: AI’s economic impact (2017 forecast).
AI is like a tool—powerful, transformative, and full of potential. It’s already shaping our world, and understanding it can help you navigate the future!”
The information provided above shows the incredible capabilities of AI. Without it, I would have had to spend a significant amount of time researching and compiling sources, as well as organizing everything into a readable format. However, AI accomplished all of this in under a minute, including formatting and structuring the sentences. It's important to recognize this efficiency. At the same time, it's concerning that criminals are leveraging AI to commit fraud in various ways, resulting in people being scammed. Always remain vigilant.
Go to TikTok and see all the videos created to get clicks. How do you think a lot of this is made? By AI of course, because our young have technology at their fingertips and understand it. Not so for Baby Boomers, of whom I am a part, who grew up with typewriters. I am fortunate to have worked in technology throughout my career; otherwise, I would be clueless. Even with my experience in technology, I'm struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of change, and I'm trying to stay on top of all the advancements.
One key point is that, in general, AI software is not free, as illustrated in the AI TikTok video generators costs below.
The young folks of today have computers at their fingertips and are clueless about how we got here, and they don’t care. All they want is instantaneous service and responses.
The following is not really about AI, but rather the path it has taken us to reach this point in our history. The young have no idea about typewriters, landline phones, floppy disks, cassette players, reel to reel tape player and many other things. I am not sure that is a good thing. History needs to be taught so you know where you came from and what it took to get were we are now. But, maybe that is just me. If you are not interested in this short history piece, you can skip through it.
How many kids or even readers could explain what the following are:
This first image was from google. The second image is generated by AI with the following command:
“Create a scene of a military man walking, carrying a realistic IBM 5100 Portable Computer ,by the handle in a military setting”, pretty cool.
The first image shows a laptop that I used during my time in the military. The keyboard folds up, and it has a handle on the back for carrying. It was quite heavy and operated using disks, featuring a small amber screen that was difficult to read. Data storage was very limited compared to today’s standards. During that time, backups were not part of the process, and we didn’t even discuss the subject, which resulted in lost data and required administrators to type a report all over again. Equipment malfunctions were massive because IT Tech didn’t exist; we were all on our own. I don’t think we did anything with these laptops but play around, and eventually they became dust. This is an example of the military supporting public technology by being a test bed to develop military use equipment. Let’s move on.
How many people recognize the different objects in this image? Recent generations are likely clueless about items like landline phones, LPs (also known as record albums), old televisions, cassette players, and lava lamps. I remember all of these very well. In fact, during my first job in the military, I had to learn Morse code as a method of communication in an emergency, much like what you see in old western films, where a character clicks away using Morse code to send messages, which is similar to our current-day texting. The image below was generated in less than five minutes with a simple instruction to depict a military man using a teletype machine. I could easily make that man in the picture resemble me; it's that simple! When I say easy, I mean for those who are familiar with the tools.
This image actually makes me feel old, but then I am.
Where do I obtain a large number of images from? From openart AI, to which I subscribe. This tool generates images, characters, and so much more. Creating images is fast and straightforward, and is only limited by your imagination. But, what if you don’t have a good imagination or can’t explain what you want? AI comes to the rescue. The earlier image of old technology was created with the simple statement below.
I don’t want to go too deep into details, but let me point out that AI works best with very detailed instructions, the more the better. As an example, I struggle to articulate what I want in fine detail. So, AI is happy to please. All I have to do is ask AI to enhance my prompt, with the result below created in a matter of seconds. How many of you can provide this type of detail? Are you beginning to see the power? However, this power is dangerous, and there are many malicious actors constantly trying to steal your money or data. Buyer beware.
AI is being used by many Fortune 500 companies, especially in first-level support functions. AI essentially utilizes existing business data, summarizes it, and trains the model to respond to customer inquiries. Many businesses have already implemented AI and are reaping the benefits. Customers, on the other hand, are learning how to adapt to this new technology and now need to learn how to respond to achieve results. The end result should be your answer, or you should eventually be transferred to a human. However, good luck with that, because the newer models don’t connect you to a human, which is ridiculous and anti-customer service. Over time, these models will learn and improve, increasing the customer experience. But there will be bumps along the way.
There are two key words associated with AI, and those are Algorithms vs Models, with a description below:
“Algorithms vs. models
Though the two terms are often used interchangeably in this context, they do not mean quite the same thing.
–Algorithms are procedures, often described in mathematical language or pseudocode, to be applied to a dataset to achieve a certain function or purpose.
–Models are the output of an algorithm that has been applied to a dataset.
In simple terms, an AI model is used to make predictions or decisions, and an algorithm is the logic by which the AI model operates.”
Notice this time that I actually did research for the information that comes from
https://www.ibm.com/thin.k/topics/ai-model
Note that I could use AI to provide the same information in response to the same request. “In AI, what does model mean?”. The following is from X Grokx:
“In AI, a model refers to a mathematical representation or system designed to process input data and generate outputs, such as predictions, classifications, or decisions. It’s typically a machine learning or deep learning algorithm trained on data to learn patterns, relationships, or features that enable it to perform specific tasks, like recognizing images, generating text, or predicting outcomes. For example:
In supervised learning, a model learns from labeled data (e.g., a dataset of images with labels like "cat" or "dog") to predict labels for new, unseen data.
In unsupervised learning, a model identifies patterns or clusters in data without predefined labels.
In generative AI (like me), a model generates new content (text, images, etc.) based on learned patterns from training data.
Think of a model as a brain-like system that’s been trained to do a specific job by learning from examples. Its performance depends on the quality of the training data and the complexity of the task.”
Now think about what I just did. I used AI for the research, with Grokx doing a very professional job. So, the question is, when does a person have to annotate the use of AI when writing and publishing? I could very easily use this information as my own. Is it my own? Scary. I don’t know how High schools and Colleges can determine whether a student wrote a piece or if AI did it. Today's kids are very computer literate, unlike us baby boomers, who grew up with what would be considered archaic tools in today’s world. In fact, I bet many parents are clueless that their kids already use AI in school or at home, in some form.
Here is another example, the last one, on how Verizon uses AI. I was doing some IT work at home and had issues with my router (the device that connects homes to the internet), and I needed to reboot (reset) the router. I could not find out how or where in the Verizon AI app they hid this reboot option. So I asked for help, which used to be a technical resource at the company. However, now an AI model guided me through the process, and at the end, it asked if I wanted to reboot, which I did. The model then completed the task for me. Amazing.
Note: I encountered another issue recently and consulted Verizon’s AI, which yielded no positive results. That’s not a big issue, so my next step was to get human support. I asked AI for a human representative multiple times with no result, and eventually, I was provided with a phone number, which, of course, led nowhere. Support for AI should always include the option to speak with a live person.
AI is everywhere, in case you don’t know it. Here is a list of a few major corporations using this new technology, and this is only the tip of the iceberg.
https://sitegpt.ai/blog/companies-using-chatbots-for-customer-service
Amazon
Bank of America
HealthTap
Marriott International
H&M
T-Mobile
Progressive Insurance
Tesla
Zillow
Georgia Tech
Domino's Pizza
Hilton
The American Red Cross
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
The question of the day is, why go with AI? In reality, it is simple: improve the business and enhance customer interactions. The following example benefits come from the same source as the companies list.
Enhanced Customer Experience
Efficiency and Scalability
24/7 Support
Streamlined Returns Process
Cost Savings
Personalized Interactions and Recommendations
Improved Accessibility and Convenience
Efficient Symptom Checking
Seamless Connection to Healthcare Professionals
Improved Efficiency and Response Time
Staying Ahead of the Competition
Streamlining Customer Queries and Providing Instant Assistance
Accurate Product Information and Sizing Assistance
Real-Time Availability Check
Enhanced Customer Engagement and Personalization
Account Management Made Easy
Streamlining Bill Payment
Efficient Technical Support
Wow, if the AI is implemented correctly, the company can increase profits while providing customers with a great experience from start to finish. Put your brain caps on and use your imagination to think of all the possible uses and misuses of AI.
You need to know if you are dealing with a person or AI, and at times, that is not easy. I am very wary of anything, including email, texts and the internet. AI can replicate any form, object, or voice in a way that makes it unrecognizable as AI; it’s as real as it can get. That is scary.
I remember a news event not too long ago where a mother was called by someone demanding ransom for her kidnapped daughter. They even put the daughter on to talk to the mother for effect, using an AI-generated clone of her voice. The mother must have been in shock, but luckily, the mother checked where her daughter was supposed to be, and she was there. It was a scam using AI. How many of you would double-check, or would you engage the fake kidnappers and maybe pay? Always be on your toes.
So, let’s say you receive an IRS notice by email or snail mail (the term for USPS service), stating you owe money and threatening jail if you don't pay immediately. The notice appears genuine, complete with official logos and wording to give it an official appearance. The notice is threatening, and it’s from the IRS - what would you do? Nothing, hopefully, until you double-check. But, how many of the old and unaware pay what the fraudster is asking for, especially if it isn’t a large amount? I don’t know how many have been impacted by AI fraud, but criminals are ahead of the curve when it comes to AI and fraud is occurring every day. Consider what happens if a person pays using a credit card; the criminals now have that data, and possibly much more.
AI's success depends on the quality of the data being input into what is called a model, and as always, garbage in, garbage out. How many understand the principle of garbage in, garbage out? I wasn’t exactly sure how to explain this, even though I know exactly what it means, so I went to my friend AI Grokx:
The quality of the AI is dependent on the data it uses. The future is coming, and AI is leading the way. The key to AI is the computer chips used to do the work, extracting the data, with NVIDIA leading the fast-moving market. NVIDIA chips enable AI to function efficiently due to the speed of data retrieval. Without the discovery of these chips, which provide the technology for fast data retrievals, we would have very limited AI, as speed is everything, along with the quality of the data.
Think about the following scenarios, which are all work in progress because many businesses are leery of AI. Those who jump on the train will be the winners.
Medical data (from doctors) - A wealth of data is available for use, but it is rarely utilized due to a lack of model development. If all the data on various diseases and the effects of drugs used for treatment were in a database, doctors would have the most accurate information to make informed medical decisions. AI doesn’t make the decision, but provides the doctor with the necessary information to treat patients. This is big.
Medical data (research & labs) What if the medical community had access to all the data possible on different research and the lab results used for various diseases? There could be significant discoveries. The future is an AI-generated recovery plan tailored specifically to the patient, under a doctor’s supervision.
Lawyers - how much time do Lawyers or their assistants spend researching cases in support of an ongoing case? This could take a considerable amount of time, but with AI, the data could be summarized and provided in minutes, rather than days or weeks, in research. This could be very big.
Programmers in innovative organizations utilize AI to code, leveraging the fact that all code is available on the web. AI can then pull examples or provide the actual code needed. My son-in-law uses AI to program, saving weeks of time by leveraging existing tools.
There are numerous other examples, particularly in research areas such as biology, archeology, history, and virtually every other field. These advancements can’t be ignored because AI is an integral part of our lives, whether we like it or not. Therefore, it is to your advantage to understand how and where AI is utilized. It will help you avoid getting scammed.
The following is a list of some scams that are real, and there are hundreds of other potential examples not being reported and the fraud cases don’t make it to big-time news. I am a subject of fraud as well. I lost $1K trying to buy an Ozzy Osbourne crypto NFT (another story). How many others are there out there? Many, I would assume.
You may not have heard of some of the examples provided below which are know to some but not many. Why? Reputation and embarrassment. Companies want to avoid reporting these cases due to their reputation, and individuals don’t want to be embarrassed for their stupidity. I would rather not have my $ 1,000 loss in the news and then have to explain my stupidity to all my friends, who would get a good laugh and poke fun at me every time we meet. I get ridiculed enough from my wife :-)
Read these examples of real-life fraud by criminals using AI. This list comes from Grokx AI:
“What Happened: In early 2024, a finance employee at a multinational company in Hong Kong was deceived into transferring over $25 million to scammers. The fraudsters used deepfake technology to impersonate the company’s chief financial officer and other senior executives during a video conference call.
What Happened: An Arizona couple in their 70s received a distressing call from a scammer impersonating their grandson, claiming he was arrested and needed $15,000 for bail. The scam occurred in late 2023 and was widely reported as a case of AI voice cloning.
What Happened: In early 2025, a 55-year-old woman in the UK was defrauded of £150,000 in a romance scam orchestrated by a Nigerian cybercriminal using AI tools to pose as a military doctor stationed overseas.
What Happened: In 2024, a 28-year-old job seeker in California was targeted by a phishing scam that offered a fake remote job at a well-known tech company. The scam resulted in the theft of personal and financial information.
What Happened: A group of investors in the US and Canada lost over $10 million in 2024 to a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform promoted with AI-generated videos and testimonials claiming to use “AI-powered trading algorithms” for guaranteed returns.
What Happened: In mid-2024, a retiree in Florida lost $690,000 after investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme promoted through a deepfake video of Elon Musk. The scam was part of a broader wave of fake celebrity endorsements targeting crypto investors.
What Happened: In late 2024, thousands of Australians received text messages (smishing) posing as alerts from major banks like Commonwealth Bank, claiming accounts were compromised. One victim, a Sydney resident, lost $8,000 after entering details on a fake banking portal.
What Happened: In 2023, a German energy company lost €220,000 (approximately $243,000) after scammers used AI voice cloning to impersonate the company’s CEO, instructing an employee to make an urgent payment to a supplier.”
That kind of wraps this up, and I hope you learned something. In the future, I plan to create a video demonstrating how I utilize AI in my daily reporting, including the creation of graphic images. It will make more sense and increase your understanding more than an article.
One final thought I’d like to leave you with. Imagine if a government controlled the AI? Could a country be taken over or power maintained if the government used AI to misinform their public with news and events? The uninformed would be very susceptible to AI that is indistinguisable for real. Is it possible for one of our enemies to flood us with false AI before an attack? Will future wars be by AI? This is some scary stuff and people need to awaken to a reality of the future.
Please leave a comment with topics you would like covered, and I will do my best to provide the information. Have a great day, and thanks for your support!
