Generative AI: a catalyst for Pakistan’s tech evolution

To create a stronger insight into the phenomena that we call generative AI, let me review how it all began.

The term artificial intelligence was coined at the Dartmouth Workshop in 1956. Researchers, including John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester, and Claude Shannon, gathered to discuss the potential of creating intelligent machines.

Between the 1980s-1990s, interest in machine learning, particularly neural networks, was rekindled. Backpropagation, a method for training neural networks, was developed. However, progress was limited by computing power and data availability.

AI has evolved from theoretical concepts to practical, real-world applications that are reshaping industries and daily life. Ongoing research and development are likely to bring further advancements and challenges in the field of AI.

Generative AI has the potential to be a game changer in various sectors by enhancing creativity, efficiency, and problem-solving capabilities. Its continued development and responsible use hold promise for further advancements in many fields including healthcare, education, finance, and more.

Language models like GPT-3 have demonstrated the ability to generate human-like text, enabling automated content creation for various purposes, including writing news articles, generating code, and creating marketing copy.

In the healthcare sector, generative AI is used for drug discovery and molecule design. It helps researchers generate and evaluate potential drug candidates more quickly and cost effectively.

AI is fast becoming the new normal. It is redefining the contours of knowledge as we know it. Whether in medicine, engineering, business, or content creation, AI is an integral part of modern life.

It stands to transform industries, improve efficiency, and enable new capabilities. It drives innovation, solves complex problems, and reshapes the way we live and work.

The challenges are there too and need to be addressed to ensure its responsible and ethical use. But we must admit that AI-powered automation streamlines processes, reduces human effort, and enhances operational efficiency enabling all to focus on higher goals and move up the ladder of productivity.

Being the buzzword today, AI is exciting and equally scary. The biggest risk associated with AI is that machine output might become stronger and more resourceful than the human mind.

Will AI cost us our jobs then? Well did calculator cost anyone their job? Or did blood pressure machines kick the nursing staff out?

The bottom line is always growth with new avenues opening for humans to challenge their creativity and productivity. The trick lies in AI automation for the robotic industry and sees where it takes us – for the software realms, I think, it will be the tool for higher tier accomplishments.

Read How digital transformation impacts businesses?

SAP, always ahead of the game, is the pioneer in embedding Joule for their solutions in various domains, including procurement, human resources, inventory management, risk assessment, portfolio optimisation, algorithmic trading, and database management.

‘Joule is your new Co-Pilot’ – the statement holds a special significance, for Joule is a generative AI application empowering SAP Solutions for present and predictive analysis, problem solving, and enhancing the decision process with accuracy.

We are all familiar with ChatGPT and are exploring the parameters (if there are any) for better insight and productive utility. It enables AI as never before to make each SAP Solution intrinsically far more powerful.

Joule will empower SAP Solutions with its infinite resources of AI. We call it your co-pilot because it will fly your business to greater heights enabling you to focus on the qualitative aspects with a freedom that you had not had till now.

For years, SAP has been collecting data for its clients and Joule will enable the companies to use this information for informed decision-making.

Like all developing economies, Pakistan is ready with the potential for unprecedented growth. With generative AI technologies, we will be revolutionising industries, from healthcare to finance, and driving innovation to new heights.

Pakistan’s market can harness its power to unlock new opportunities and address challenges. The journey towards a smarter, more efficient future has begun. Public and private sector organisations are positioned to see the new era of developments with enhanced efficiency.

Companies who have been engaged with SAP SuccessFactors over the past five years are aware of SAP’s previous endeavours to implement conversational navigation, commonly referred to as a digital assistant.

The eagerly anticipated moment has finally arrived as SAP introduces Joule. Joule helps users to navigate to the functionality they are looking for, assists users in the efficient completion of their tasks, and enables users to retrieve information from existing documents.

A joule is defined as the amount of work accomplished when a force of 1 newton moves a mass 1 meter in the direction of the applied force. Now, in the context of SAP Digital Assistant, you can think of Joule as a source of enhanced energy and productivity, enabling users to accomplish tasks efficiently and swiftly, hence the term co-pilot.

Joule will be embedded across SAP’s cloud product portfolio, including SuccessFactors and the public edition of S/4HANA Cloud. SAP Customer Experience, Ariba, and SAP Business Technology Platform will follow, according to the company.

With the right vision and strategy, we can harness the capabilities of AI to drive economic growth and create a better future. As we venture into the AI-driven future, let us remember that the true power of generative AI lies in its ability to augment human creativity and solve complex problems.

Generative AI is not just a technological advancement; it is a mindset shift. Let us embrace it as a tool to amplify our capabilities and shape a brighter future for Pakistan.

The writer is the Managing Director, SAP Pakistan, Iraq & Afghanistan

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2023.

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