TECH EXPLAINED: What is AI and how does it work? Find out why millions of people are afraid of it. You'll be shocked to learn the truth.

What is AI? AI is now a part of our everyday lives. From social media feeds to phone photo galleries, and from hospital machines to chatbots, AI is everywhere.

(What is AI and how does it work?)

What is AI: AI has become a part of our everyday lives. From social media feeds to phone photo galleries, and from hospital machines to chatbots, AI is everywhere. But with its increasing use, people's concerns are also growing.

What is AI, and how is it used?

AI is a form of computer system that rapidly processes large amounts of data to recognize patterns and make decisions based on them. It cannot think or feel like humans, but it can perform tasks that normally require a human brain.

Today AI is used in these tasks

  • Personalized recommendations on social media and streaming apps
  • Smart assistants like Siri and Alexa
  • Navigation of self-driving cars
  • Reading patient reports and diagnosing diseases like cancer
  • Suggesting products you might like while shopping online

How does generative AI work?

Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, and DeepSeek are based on generative AI. This technology can learn from the vast amount of text, photos, and videos on the internet to create new answers, new images, new code, and even songs. Apps like Midjourney or Veo can convert text into photos or videos, but they sometimes make mistakes, such as misrepresenting facts, using incorrect sources, or producing strange images.

Why is there controversy and fear about AI?

The rapidly growing power of AI has raised many concerns among experts.

Impact on the job

The IMF has warned that AI could impact 40% of jobs worldwide, threatening to increase economic inequality.

Bias and misinformation

AI learns from what's available on the internet, and the internet also contains discriminatory or false content. Therefore, AI can sometimes make racist, sexist, or false claims.

Creators' Rights

Thousands of artists, writers, and musicians allege that AI companies use their content to train their models without permission.

Impact of AI on the environment

Data centers running large AI models consume a significant amount of electricity, water, and resources. According to some research, the AI ​​industry could soon consume as much energy as the entire Netherlands. This could also exacerbate water shortages in many countries.

Are laws being made on AI?

Many countries have already taken steps to regulate AI. The EU has passed the AI ​​Act, which imposes strict regulations on high-risk AI systems. China has established transparency and data protection rules for generative AI. The UK and the US are conducting joint trials on AI safety. Several countries have already initiated action against deepfakes and AI-based sexual crimes.

AI and the Environment – ​​The Hidden Threat

AI is as smart as it is energy-intensive. Training AI models requires massive electricity, vast amounts of water, and massive server infrastructure. Some reports claim that the AI ​​industry could soon consume as much electricity as an entire developed country. Data centers also use millions of liters of water for cooling, which could exacerbate water shortages in many countries.

What will AI be like in the future?

In the future, AI will become such an integral part of human life that it will be nearly impossible to separate it from it. In the future, this technology will no longer be simply a machine that answers questions, but will evolve to think, understand, and make decisions like humans. Conversations and interactions will become so natural that it will sometimes be difficult to distinguish whether the person speaking is a human or a machine.

The scope of technology will also expand beyond its current reach. While today AI is limited to phones, laptops, and internet services, in the future it will be found silently operating everywhere—in our homes, offices, schools, and hospitals. Robots will evolve to not only obey commands but also anticipate your needs and complete tasks on their own. Household chores, caring for the elderly, operating industrial machinery, or providing immediate assistance in emergencies will become everyday tasks.

Health services will also help.

AI will also play a significant role in healthcare. Machines will be faster and more accurate than humans in detecting diseases. Cancer, heart disease, or other serious conditions will be detected early, and individual treatment plans will be developed for each patient. This transformation could completely reshape the healthcare system.

The way of doing jobs will change.

The world of work and jobs will also change. AI will automatically take over many repetitive tasks, but this will also lead to the emergence of new jobs and new industries. Human creativity combined with the rapid processing of AI will create careers that are difficult to imagine today.

However, this bright future also comes with some risks. The more powerful AI becomes, the greater the potential for misuse. Deepfakes, data theft, AI-based cyberattacks, surveillance, and privacy concerns—all these challenges will force the world to enact strict regulations to guide technology.