Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Transforming How We Live and Work

L-R: Optimist President Terri Ellis & Sean Wolfe

Sean Wolfe, Hardware Asset Manager from the UW-Platteville Information Technology Services department delivered an informative presentation about artificial intelligence to the Platteville Optimists using his AI-generated PowerPoint. He shared that he's always been curious about the world around him and interested in technology thanks to hours of Star Trek, Star Wars, and Bill Nye, the Science Guy, so his career in Educational IT spanning the last 25 years is very fitting. Sean talked about the science of AI in that our brains are computers and AI makes a computer work more like our brains.

The evolution of artificial intelligence dates back to 1956 when it was established as academic discipline at a Dartmouth College workshop, but the early applications, when is was used for logistics, data mining, and medical diagnosis wasn't until the 1980's and 1990's. 2015 was a landmark year for AI growth and initiatives with major companies like Google scaling projects and investments across research and products. In 2016-2017, tech giants invested $20-30 billion in AI research, development, and deployment, fueling rapid commercialization and talent acquisition. In 2026, AI has achieved widespread integration into core business processes, becoming essential across industries for automation and decision support.

How AI Works: Core Components

• Data Collection - AI systems require vast amounts of data as training material from various sources

• Prediction & Action - Trained AI makes decisions, predictions, or performs tasks based on learned patterns

• Machine Learning - Algorithms analyze data to identify patterns and relationships without explicit programming

• Neutral Networks - Layered structures inspired by human brain with interconnected nodes that process information

• Training & Optimization - Models learn by adjusting weights and biases through backpropagation to minimize errors

Real-World AI Applications Across Industries

• Healthcare & Medicine

  • AI diagnoses diseases with 94.5% accuracy in breast cancer detection

  • Personalizes treatment plans using genomic and patient data

  • Powers telemedicine platforms serving millions of virtual consultations

• Transportation & Logistics

  • Enables autonomous vehicles with over 20 million safe miles driven

  • Optimizes delivery routes saving $400 million annually for UPS

  • Predicts equipment maintenance reducing aircraft downtime by 30%

• Finance & Banking

  • Detects fraud with 30% more accuracy than traditional systems

  • Provides personalized banking through AI assistants like Erica

  • Automates loan approvals increasing access by 25% while reducing risk

AI Benefits

• Task Automation - automates repetitive tasks freeing humans for creative work and strategic thinking

• Enhanced Decisions - enables faster, data-driven decisions with higher accuracy and real-time insights

• 24/7 Availability - provides consistent service around the clock without fatigue or performance degradation

• Reduced Errors - minimizes human errors especially in critical fields like healthcare and manufacturing

AI Challenges

• Data Risks - vulnerable to data poisoning, bias, and security breaches requiring robust protection measures

• Ethical Concerns - raises questions about privacy, job displacement, algorithmic bias, and autonomous decision accountability

• Skill Requirements - demands new workforce capabilities and continuous learning to work alongside AI systems effectively

AI is transforming how we live and work. The future is intelligent, and it's happening now.