The most important AI trends in 2024

IBM Technology
6 Mar 202409:35

TLDRThe 2024 AI landscape is set to evolve with a focus on realistic expectations, multimodal capabilities, smaller and more efficient models, and the pressing need for model optimization to reduce computational costs. Custom local models and virtual agents will cater to specific organizational needs, while regulatory developments and the phenomenon of shadow AI will shape the ethical and responsible integration of AI in various sectors.

Takeaways

  • 📉 **Realistic Expectations**: The AI industry is moving towards more realistic expectations of generative AI capabilities, focusing on integration into existing tools rather than complete replacements.
  • 🌐 **Multimodal AI Advancements**: Multimodal AI models are expanding their capabilities, processing diverse data inputs like images and video, and providing richer, more comprehensive outputs.
  • 📈 **Resource-Efficient Models**: There's a shift towards smaller AI models that are less resource-intensive, offering greater output with fewer parameters and reducing the environmental and financial costs of AI.
  • 💰 **Cost Management**: The trend towards smaller models is driven by the high costs of GPU usage and cloud services, necessitating more optimized models to manage expenses.
  • 🔧 **Model Optimization Techniques**: Techniques like quantization and Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) are being adopted to optimize models, reducing memory usage and speeding up inference processes.
  • 🔍 **Custom Local Models**: Organizations are developing custom AI models trained on proprietary data and fine-tuned for specific needs, keeping sensitive information secure and reducing reliance on cloud services.
  • 🤖 **Virtual Agents for Task Automation**: Virtual agents are evolving beyond simple chatbots to automate tasks, interact with other services, and enhance overall productivity.
  • 🏛️ **Regulatory Developments**: The AI industry faces increasing regulation, with entities like the European Union working on comprehensive AI legislation to address issues like data privacy and copyright.
  • 🕵️‍♂️ **Shadow AI Concerns**: The unofficial use of AI in the workplace without proper oversight can lead to security, privacy, and compliance issues, highlighting the need for corporate AI policies.
  • 🔮 **AI Ethics and Responsibility**: As AI capabilities grow, so does the responsibility to use it ethically, ensuring that power is balanced with consideration for potential risks and consequences.

Q & A

  • What is the overarching theme for AI trends in 2024?

    -The overarching theme for AI trends in 2024 is the shift towards more realistic expectations and integration of AI into existing workflows, with a focus on smaller, more efficient models and the expansion of multimodal capabilities.

  • How has the perception of generative AI changed since its initial mass awareness?

    -Initially, generative AI was met with a lot of excitement and breathless news coverage. However, as time has passed, the industry and users have developed a more refined understanding of what AI-powered solutions can actually do, leading to their integration as complementary elements in existing tools rather than as standalone solutions.

  • What is multimodal AI and how does it enhance AI capabilities?

    -Multimodal AI refers to AI models that can process and understand multiple types of data inputs, such as text, images, and video. This capability allows for a richer and more contextual understanding of information, enabling AI to provide more comprehensive and useful outputs like combining natural language answers with visual aids.

  • What are the drawbacks of massive AI models?

    -Massive AI models, while powerful, require significant amounts of electricity for both training and inference, leading to high resource consumption and costs. They also often require substantial computational resources, which can increase cloud costs and put pressure on infrastructure.

  • How are smaller models addressing the resource intensity of AI?

    -Smaller models are being developed to yield greater output with fewer parameters, thus reducing the computational resources needed. They can be run at lower costs and on more devices locally, which makes them more accessible and environmentally friendly.

  • What is model optimization and why is it important?

    -Model optimization techniques, such as quantization and Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA), are used to improve the efficiency of AI models by reducing memory usage and speeding up inference. This is important for making AI more practical and cost-effective, as well as for enabling wider adoption.

  • Why is the development of custom local models beneficial?

    -Custom local models allow organizations to train AI on their own proprietary data and fine-tune it for specific needs without the risk of exposing sensitive information. This approach also helps to reduce model size and can improve data privacy and compliance.

  • What role do virtual agents play in AI trends for 2024?

    -Virtual agents are becoming more sophisticated, moving beyond simple chatbots to automate tasks and interact with other services. They can handle complex tasks like making reservations or completing checklists, enhancing user experience and productivity.

  • How is the European Union approaching AI regulation?

    -The European Union has reached a provisional agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act, which aims to regulate AI within its jurisdiction. This reflects a growing global trend towards establishing clear guidelines and standards for AI development and use.

  • What is shadow AI and why is it a concern?

    -Shadow AI refers to the unofficial use of AI by employees within an organization without IT approval or oversight. This can lead to security, privacy, and compliance issues, as employees might unknowingly expose sensitive information or use copyrighted materials in ways that could harm the company.

  • What is the missing 10th trend that the video challenges its viewers to identify?

    -The video does not specify the 10th trend, leaving it to the viewers to consider and contribute their insights on additional AI trends that might emerge in 2024, encouraging engagement and discussion on the topic.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 AI Trends in 2024: Realistic Expectations and Multimodal Advancements

The video script begins by highlighting the ongoing rapid pace of AI development in 2024 and presents nine anticipated trends for the year. The first trend is the 'reality check,' emphasizing the shift towards more realistic expectations for AI capabilities. After the initial excitement surrounding generative AI like ChatGPT and Dall-E, there is now a more nuanced understanding of their potential. The script discusses the integration of generative AI tools into existing software like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, rather than as standalone applications. It also delves into the growth of multimodal AI, which can process various data inputs, such as combining natural language processing with computer vision. This allows for more interactive and informative user experiences, such as receiving both visual aids and text instructions in response to queries. The trend also touches on the environmental and economic impact of large AI models, which consume significant amounts of electricity during training and inference. The script then introduces the development of smaller models that are less resource-intensive and can be run locally on devices like laptops, potentially reducing costs and increasing accessibility.

05:05

🌐 Model Optimization and the Rise of Custom and Virtual AI

The second paragraph of the script continues the discussion on AI trends by focusing on model optimization techniques. It explains how methods like quantization and Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) can reduce memory usage and speed up inference by lowering the precision of model data points and introducing trainable layers into pre-trained models. The trend of custom local models is also explored, emphasizing the benefits of training AI on proprietary data for specific organizational needs while keeping sensitive information secure. The paragraph then discusses the growing role of virtual agents, which are more advanced than traditional chatbots and can automate tasks such as making reservations or connecting to other services. Finally, the script addresses the increasing importance of AI regulation, with references to the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act and the ongoing debate over the use of copyrighted material in AI training. It also warns of the risks associated with 'shadow AI,' which refers to the unauthorized use of AI by employees without corporate oversight, potentially leading to security and legal issues.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI trends

AI trends refer to the emerging patterns and developments in the field of artificial intelligence that are expected to gain prominence in the coming year. In the context of the video, these trends are pivotal in understanding the trajectory of AI technology and its potential impact on various industries and workflows. The video outlines nine specific trends that are anticipated to shape the AI landscape in 2024, highlighting areas such as reality checks, multimodal AI, smaller models, and more.

💡Reality check

A reality check in the context of AI refers to the industry's move towards more grounded and practical expectations of what AI can achieve. This concept is a response to the initial hype surrounding generative AI, where the technology was seen as a revolutionary solution to many problems. The reality check involves a deeper understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations, leading to more effective and targeted implementations of AI-powered solutions.

💡Generative AI

Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that are capable of creating new content, such as text, images, or music. These systems use machine learning models to generate outputs based on patterns learned from data. In the video, generative AI is highlighted as an area where the industry is gaining a more refined understanding, leading to its integration into existing tools and workflows rather than as standalone solutions.

💡Multimodal AI

Multimodal AI refers to AI models that can process and understand multiple types of data inputs, such as text, images, and video. These models are capable of integrating various data formats to provide richer and more comprehensive outputs. The video emphasizes the growing capabilities of multimodal AI, such as the ability to ingest data from video cameras for more holistic learning and to offer combined text and visual responses to user queries.

💡Smaller models

Smaller models in the context of AI refer to machine learning models with a reduced number of parameters compared to their larger counterparts. These models are less resource-intensive and can be run more efficiently, often on local devices like personal laptops. The video highlights the innovation in the field of smaller models, which are becoming more capable of delivering high performance while requiring fewer computational resources.

💡Model optimization

Model optimization is the process of improving the efficiency and performance of AI models while reducing their resource requirements. Techniques such as quantization and Low-Rank Adaptation are used to lower memory usage, speed up inference, and reduce the number of parameters that need to be updated. The video emphasizes the importance of model optimization as a response to the high energy consumption associated with training and running larger AI models.

💡Custom local models

Custom local models refer to AI models that are developed and run within an organization's own infrastructure, using proprietary data for training and fine-tuning to specific needs. These models allow for greater control over data security and privacy, as they do not rely on third-party cloud services. The video highlights the benefits of keeping AI training and inference local, as it reduces the risk of sensitive information being exposed or used inappropriately.

💡Virtual agents

Virtual agents are AI-powered systems designed to automate tasks and interact with users in a more dynamic and personalized way than traditional chatbots. They can perform complex tasks, such as making reservations or completing checklists, and can integrate with other services to get things done on behalf of the user. The video positions virtual agents as a significant trend, indicating a move beyond basic customer service interactions to more comprehensive assistance.

💡Regulation

Regulation in the context of AI pertains to the establishment of rules and guidelines governing the development, deployment, and use of AI technologies. The video discusses the increasing need for regulation as AI becomes more integrated into various aspects of society and the economy. It highlights the European Union's provisional agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act and the ongoing debate around the use of copyrighted material in AI training as key areas where regulation will play a crucial role.

💡Shadow AI

Shadow AI refers to the unauthorized or unofficial use of AI technologies within an organization by employees, without the approval or oversight of the IT department. This can lead to potential security, privacy, and compliance issues, as employees might unknowingly expose sensitive information or use copyrighted material in ways that could harm the company. The video warns of the dangers associated with shadow AI and the importance of implementing corporate AI policies to mitigate these risks.

Highlights

The pace of AI in 2024 shows no signs of slowing down, with 9 key trends expected to emerge.

The first trend is the 'reality check', marking a shift towards more realistic expectations for AI capabilities.

Generative AI tools are increasingly integrated into existing software, enhancing and complementing them rather than replacing them.

Multimodal AI is expanding, with models like OpenAI's GPT-4v and Google Gemini bridging natural language processing and computer vision.

New models are incorporating video data, allowing for more diverse inputs and richer training data.

Smaller AI models are gaining attention due to their lower resource requirements, as opposed to massive models like GPT-3.

Innovation in LLMs focuses on achieving greater output from fewer parameters, with success seen in models of 3 to 17 billion parameters.

Mistral's Mixtral model demonstrates that smaller models can match or outperform larger ones in benchmark tests and inference speeds.

The trend towards smaller models is driven by the high costs of GPU and cloud infrastructure for training and inference.

Model optimization techniques like quantization and LoRA are becoming more prevalent to reduce computational needs.

Custom local models allow organizations to train AI on proprietary data without risking exposure to third parties.

Virtual agents are evolving beyond chatbots to automate tasks and interact with other services.

The European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act reflects an increasing focus on AI regulation.

Shadow AI, the unauthorized use of AI in the workplace, raises concerns about security, privacy, and compliance.

The dangers of generative AI are rising in tandem with its growing capabilities.

The transcript challenges viewers to identify the missing 10th trend for AI in 2024.