AI masterclass – 5 top tips by Tanya Goodin

We asked Tanya Goodin, Hertford Old Blue, author and artificial intelligence (AI) entrepreneur to give us an AI masterclass. Tanya shares her top 5 tips.

1. What is AI in simple terms?

AI is a tool made of computer code that uses information to help it to solve new problems. The key is that it ‘learns’ from data — without data, it can’t work. This learning lets AI do repetitive tasks very quickly and spot patterns or connections that humans might miss. An exciting example is using AI to identify human cells that could develop into cancer.

2. What are some common myths you’d like to clear up?

AI isn’t about killer robots or science-fiction takeovers. While some worry about AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) — machines doing everything a human can — we’re far from that. Most AI work is still hands-on, needing humans for tasks such as data labelling, e.g. associating the word ‘cat’ with a picture of one to train an AI model.

3. Where is AI already part of people’s daily lives?

I’m enthusiastic about personalisation and prediction of things that you might be interested in based on your current tastes — Netflix or Spotify recommendations that seem uncannily matched to your interests, that’s AI at work. Also, AI that helps every day, such as Google Maps suggesting quicker routes and spam filters keeping junk emails out. AI is also already helping doctors to spot diseases earlier and helping patients to manage their medicine.

4. For those who might feel unsure about AI, how can they start engaging with it
positively?

Experiment with it — you could try out ChatGPT to generate a letter or help to plan a document. I have teacher friends who use it effectively for lesson plans. I use it myself several times a day when planning out articles or reports. It’s great for providing a structure, but you still must independently fact-check as it is prone to errors.

5. What advice would you give readers who want to stay curious and not feel left behind as AI evolves?

Ask questions — don’t be afraid to ask people to show you how to use AI. I have friends who have asked for ChatGPT tutorials or questions about AI-related news. Ask a tech-savvy friend (maybe a child or grandchild) to show you what AI they use and why. My great aunt bought a computer aged 84, when her family didn’t write letters any more. She became an enthusiastic emailer after that. It’s never too late!

Read Tanya’s full interview here and find out how she went from Hertford school girl to author and AI entrepreneur.