The iPhone had no problem spelling the word “artificial intelligence,” but it probably came in handy.
Anyone who texts or uses a word processor is aware of the sometimes infuriating suggestions the machine makes as part of predictive text, a form of artificial intelligence.
People know that what the phone offered was wrong, but sometimes they press the button before fixing it.
While there are concerns about job losses from big data and artificial intelligence, a University of Nevada, Reno professor says data analytics jobs are expected to grow by 23%. by 2031.
The university offers a master’s program to train students to follow the results of artificial intelligence.
Dr. Amir Talaei-Khoei, Department of Information Systems at Ansari College of Business, cited Tesla specifically when speaking about artificial intelligence with The Record-Courier.
“Tesla claims a lot of AI tools,” he said. “The question is can I trust this thing, and basically I’m betting my life. » The only way to trust information is to know how it is produced and that relies on data analysis skills.
He said machine learning used by artificial intelligence is essentially a black box.
Someone tells the program what it wants to do and it takes care of the rest.
“The key word is ‘trust,’” he said. The only way to trust AI is to have data analysis skills, because that is how AI produces results.
Talaei-Khoei said the data analytics offered by UNR is a five-semester course starting this spring and the program will be conducted entirely online.
“One of the cool things is that it’s online,” he said. “You are not participating in any classes. On a Saturday at 3 p.m. you can go listen to lectures and the following week you can go online on Tuesday at 2 a.m. It is designed for a professional who has family and professional commitments.
Ten years ago, the hardware needed to store this data was expensive, but today, with cheap storage, it is easy to store huge amounts of information.
“The more you store, the harder it is to analyze it,” he said. “It takes skills to analyze this data. The beauty is that you can use this data to predict future trends.
Every time someone accesses social media, they generate data and this data can be analyzed for various purposes.
“Analytics and its power allow us to make data-driven decisions,” he said. “A person running a family business can use these tools to generate, store and analyze data. »
He said statistics across the country show there will be a substantial increase in the number of people needed to analyze data produced by artificial intelligence.
“It’s there and it’s not going to go away,” he said. “There are people in the job market who, regardless of the type of discipline, will need to know analytics. »
The master’s program focuses less on the technology involved and more on how to use it in their own experience.
“Artificial is an umbrella word for all these data analysis techniques for a particular context,” he said. “If you want your store to become smarter, analyze the data and decide based on that. The need is there and the resources are available in Northern Nevada.
There are currently approximately 40 students enrolled in the master’s program, making it one of the largest programs at the university.
The cost of the program is estimated at $29,000, not including tuition.
Talaei-Khoei said there was no coding. In addition to a bachelor’s degree, the program requires a statement of purpose, resume, transcripts, and a 2.75 grade point average in the last two years of undergraduate study.
“We want people to know about this program that’s available to them,” he said.
