How is artificial intelligence being used already in the media?
‘Through chatbots, for example, that are used for customer service. Some chatbots have self-learning capabilities and become increasingly better in communicating with people. Other examples are talking robot services such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. The line between reality and robots and virtual reality is becoming increasingly blurred. It is therefore very interesting to carry out research into the ways in which people communicate with robots, and vice versa.
Another application of artificial intelligence is that Facebook and Netflix, for instance, offer users updates, adverts and films based on the results of an algorithm. This is a defining factor in how we use media. I think it is also dangerous that such a network can decide what we see. Young people can no longer recognise where a message comes from today, so they are not able to determine what’s true and what isn’t. The influence of these companies on providing information is so great that it worries me. Apple also has very strict guidelines about the appearance of apps and how they work. I believe that this inhibits creative innovation and renewal and makes such companies too powerful.’