68 VIEWPOINT AI is already operating in the backgrounds of our daily routines. The quiet revolution demands urgent action from business leaders on security, ethics and accountability ROBERT LOVELACE: CORETEK The invisible assistant You might not see, hear or think about it, but AI is quietly shaping your daily life in ways you probably never imagined. From the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed, AI is working behind the scenes, making decisions, offering suggestions and streamlining your world. It’s not science fiction; it’s your reality. That weather update on your phone? AI. The curated playlist that seems to know your mood better than you do? Also AI. Even your smart thermostat adjusting the temperature before you get out of bed is using machine learning to predict your preferences. These systems learn from your habits – your weekday morning alarm time, the news you read, your coffee order – and adapt accordingly. This extends into our shopping habits. Have you ever wondered how Amazon seems to know exactly what you need before you do? AI algorithms analyse your browsing history, purchase patterns and how long you linger on a product page. The result? Hyper-personalised recommendations that feel eerily accurate. Grocery apps use similar technology to suggest your usual items or offer discounts on items you’re likely to buy. Your credit card company also uses AI to detect unusual spending behaviour and prevent fraud, often before you notice something’s wrong. Plus, if you use Google Maps or Waze, you’re relying on AI to get you where you need to go. These apps analyse real-time traffic data, road closures and user reports to find the fastest route. Some cars now come equipped with AI-powered driver assistance systems that can help you park, stay in your lane or avoid collisions. AI isn’t just about robots or futuristic gadgets. It’s about invisible systems that make life more convenient, efficient and personalised. But this quiet revolution also raises important questions about who controls the algorithms, how your data is being used and what happens when machines know you better than you know yourself. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in our daily lives, the importance of data privacy and security has never been greater. While end users are rightfully concerned about how their personal information is used, the real responsibility lies with the businesses building and deploying AI systems. For them, protecting data isn’t just a legal obligation, it’s a trust imperative. Businesses leveraging AI must go beyond compliance checklists. They need to embed privacy-by-design principles into every stage of development and deployment. This means minimising data collection to only what’s necessary, encrypting data both in transit and at rest, implementing access controls to ensure only authorised personnel can view sensitive information, and auditing AI models for bias, fairness and explainability. But even with best practices, the complexity of AI systems makes security a moving target. That’s where robust tools and platforms come in. With business just getting started with AI “AI isn’t just about robots or futuristic gadgets. It’s about invisible systems that make life more convenient, efficient and personalised”
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