Did you know there’s a brain in your pocket? No? Well, you should (and here’s why). 

Right now, we’re in the midst of a technological revolution, and no one even knows it’s happening. Or, if they do know, they’re afraid.

That’s because tech-forward media outlets–often considered our greatest sources for showcasing new technologies–have either been silent about the rise of artificial intelligence, or they’ve chosen to misrepresent it, characterize it as terminators, as infections inside our technological infrastructure. And, in doing so, they’ve turned people off to what is easily the most useful technology of our age.

So let’s start with this:

The artificial intelligence we work with here at CircleBack, what other top companies are investing billions of dollars in, are not intelligent beings in any way we (as humans) understand intelligence. They aren’t autonomous in any way we understand autonomy.

What they are are supportive machines that use statistics to answer questions.

That’s all.

So when we talk about artificial intelligence or apps that employ them, we aren’t talking about super-computer brains biding their time in Silicon Valley. We’re talking about software very good at doing very narrow set of statistics and making predictions based on them. And that’s really useful.

From revolutionizing the medical field and allowing doctors to more quickly and accurately diagnose and deliver treatments to facilitating human interaction and knowledge discovery in a way never before possible, AIs are already everywhere, supporting our brightest minds in their pursuits to make the world better. They’re already in your phones and favorite apps, helping you stay connected, stay on top of your life. And they’re doing a better job than anything else could.

5 Artificial Intelligence Apps You’re Probably Already Using

  • Facebook: If you use Facebook (which, let’s face it, you do), you’re already enjoying a small benefit of artificial intelligence. Facebook uses AI to make sure that the posts you see on your newsfeed are the most interesting of the thousands that your friends and connections post.
  • Apple: If you’ve ever asked Siri whether today was a holiday, or to text your spouse that you’d be home a little late, you’ve interacted with artificial intelligence. Apple’s Siri uses AI to learn your voice and to translate your vocal requests into search, search them, and provide you an answer
  • Google: Google’s search function–so popular that it has, itself, become a verb in modern culture–uses AI to make your searching better, enabling you to find what you’re looking for, even if the question is clear-cut or well articulated.
  • HealthTap: A smart answer to the maddeningly generic WebMD, HealthTap uses artificial intelligence to bring personalization to your health-related questions. By considering your personal health information (that you’ve already entered into the app) against its enormous database, Healthtap’s “Top Doctor Insights” provide incredibly relevant health information in an instant.
  • Tempo: A perennial favorite among those who travel for a living, Tempo’s “smart calendar” uses AI to discover all the small details of your appointments (driving directions, addresses, flight details, etc.).

What I mean to suggest here (and that I hope we’ve made clear) is that we’re already using artificial intelligence every day, and that it’s making our lives better. These supportive technologies keep us healthier, better connected, less overworked, and give us what we so desperately need during these times: a little breathing room.

If you’re interested in apps using artificial intelligence, give CircleBack a try on iOS or Android. CircleBack uses artificial intelligence and crowd learning to keep the professional contacts in your address book clean, complete, and updated always. It’s a complete contact management app for professionals.