Can A Degree In AI Set You Up For Success? This Gen Z Software Engineer Has The Best Advice

Time after time, we keep hearing one thing: AI is the next big tech, and that has many young minds wondering about one thing. Should a degree in AI be attempted? And if yes, what are the future benefits of doing so.

Well, thanks to one software engineer by the name of Sajjaad Khader, we’ve got more news on this front. He’s not only a graduate of Georgia Tech but also an undergraduate in the field of AI. So who better to ask than him, right?

He says that not all that glitters in the world of AI is gold so you might want to rethink that career decision if it involves majoring in the field. But that does not mean he’s discouraging anyone. Instead, he says those with certain capabilities should opt for the degree and others struggling in three certain areas shouldn’t.

This got us curious and we had to decipher which three attributes aren’t great for the degree. So let’s take a look!

The 22-year-old explained how he has always had a passion for software engineering since a very young age. Today, he’s got serious advice for those considering a degree in the field as his experience has taught him quite a few lessons.

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In the past three years, getting his master’s meant he was ready to venture into the field but along the way, he saw many struggling with interactive intelligence. Today, he’s got a top position in a tech firm that’s based on AI.

Speaking of the competition in this field, so many universities have started to roll out degrees in this regard. A lot was dedicated to the world of AI and it was not uncommon to find diplomas, courses, and even certifications online too.

Yes, he does feel it’s worthwhile and a great degree to set forth during this moment in time. But it’s not for everyone. The field has some not-so-glamorous aspects worth a mention, he adds.

• Also read: Where Did Today's Most Influential Tech Leaders Start Their Careers?

In a short video on TikTok, he shed light on who shouldn’t enter the field and why. And we think it’s a great piece of advice for obvious reasons.

For starters, if your attention span is low, this is not for you. The field tends to get boring, especially when you need months to design simulations before you see the results coming into play. And not everyone finds that interesting or can keep up. It’s a long process and a lot of patience is needed.

Secondly, those struggling with math cannot or should not think about majoring in AI. Khader explains that it’s beyond coding and a lot of courses were math-related. And one of his very first assignments had to do math galore.

From graphs and charts to numbers and letters, he calls it a very complex math discourse and it’s not for everyone, especially if this domain is your weak point. And if those great with problem-solving and analytics struggle at times, he added.

Last but not least, Khader says that those struggling with making commitments cannot be in this field because results take a really long time. You not only have to show commitment to the degree but be willing to get more than one. In the same way, you need to stay committed to the project’s vision in the long term. It would take a lot of time to attain results.

Image: Sajjaad Khader/TikTok

Just think about, waking up every four hours from our sleep to keep a check on anti-spam software that is in the development phase. Yes, it’s not for everyone and if you don’t have that kind of passion for long-term commitments, then this is not for you.

There are days when you don’t know what can happen next but to still be keen and open to learning until the right result is obtained is the goal. And as he puts it, not just physical work but mental too without getting exhausted.

A closing message from the expert himself included how a degree in AI isn’t necessary if you wish to work in the tech world. Yes, it’s one of the most trending fields today but the demand for tech jobs isn’t getting any less.

@sajjaadkhader AI and Machine Learning is NOT what you expect #ai #machinelearning #chatgpt #softwareengineer #fyp ♬ original sound - Sajjaad Khader

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

The Happiness Chasm: What's Driving Mauritius, U.S, Canada, Uzbekistan, and China's Youth Apart from Their Elders?

The World Happiness Report ranked countries with the most unhappy youth compared to their older generations. The country with the biggest happiness gap between young and older generations is Mauritius with a difference of 57 points between those two generations. Youth is ranked at 85 in happiness rank while older adults have happiness rank of 28. The biggest reason why the youth is unhappy in Mauritius is the high unemployment rate.

The USA ranks second in the happiness gap between youth and old adults with a gap of 52 points. Older adults are ranked 10 while young people are ranked 62 in the happiness index. Canada, Uzbekistan and China ranked third, fourth and fifth with a happiness gap of 50, 49 and 49 respectively. The youth happiness rank in Japan is 73 while old adults happiness rank is 36. Mongolia has a 33 happiness ranks difference between younger and older generations. The other countries that made it to the top ten list of countries with most unhappy youth are Algeria, Libya and Singapore. These countries have happiness gap ranks of 31, 30 and 28 respectively.

While prevailing notion suggests that young adults below 30 points are typically the happiest, this data shows a deviation from that trend, with older generations being significantly happier than the youth. There is nothing wrong with old adults being happier than young people, but the unhappiness rate in these young people is alarming. There are different factors that are not letting young people be happy like worries about employment, wars, government policies, climatic changes, economic responsibilities and depression and loneliness after covid-19. Many young people in Canada and the USA are also worried that they will never be able to own a house because of current economic conditions. These type of worries do not let the youth be happy.

Country	Youth Happiness Rank	Old Happiness Rank	Gap: Youth/Old
Mauritius	85	28	57
U.S.	62	10	52
Canada	58	8	50
Uzbekistan	71	22	49
China	79	30	49
Japan	73	36	37
Mongolia	86	53	33
Algeria	93	62	31
Libya	80	50	30
Singapore	54	26	28
Kazakhstan	69	42	27
Philippines	70	43	27
Laos	104	77	27
Germany	47	21	26
Spain	55	29	26
Malta	57	31	26
Bahrain	77	51	26
Kyrgyzstan	81	55	26
Mauritania	119	93	26
Chad	120	94	26
UAE	35	11	24
France	48	25	23
Brazil	60	37	23
Guinea	103	81	22
New Zealand	27	6	21
Myanmar	122	102	20
Venezuela	83	64	19
Norway	20	3	17
Jamaica	84	68	16
Nepal	92	76	16
Saudi Arabia	42	27	15
Niger	116	101	15
Madagascar	124	109	15
Sweden	18	4	14
Hong Kong	97	84	13
UK	32	20	12
Burkina Faso	117	105	12
Australia	19	9	10
Estonia	44	35	9
Bolivia	74	65	9
Türkiye	101	92	9
Liberia	113	104	9
Mali	125	116	9
Bangladesh	128	120	8
Sierra Leone	141	133	8
Uruguay	30	24	6
India	127	121	6
Egypt	130	124	6
Yemen	135	129	6
Finland	7	2	5
Belgium	24	19	5
Ireland	21	16	5
South Africa	87	82	5
Malawi	137	132	5
Denmark	5	1	4
Thailand	45	41	4
Colombia	76	72	4
Ivory Coast	100	96	4
Kuwait	16	13	3
Poland	43	40	3
Italy	41	38	3
Congo	88	85	3
Palestine	102	99	3
Tanzania	129	126	3
Netherlands	9	7	2
Russia	68	66	2
Tajikistan	89	87	2
Cambodia	112	110	2
Zimbabwe	139	137	2
DRC	140	139	1
Lebanon	142	141	1
Guatemala	49	49	0
Tunisia	118	118	0
Jordan	123	123	0
Ethiopia	131	131	0
Lesotho	138	138	0
Afghanistan	143	143	0
Iceland	4	5	-1
Switzerland	13	14	-1
Cameroon	106	107	-1
Togo	126	127	-1
Honduras	56	58	-2
Gambia	110	112	-2
Benin	115	117	-2
Eswatini	134	136	-2
Austria	12	15	-3
Comoros	132	135	-3
Vietnam	65	69	-4
Greece	53	57	-4
Indonesia	75	79	-4
Mozambique	94	98	-4
Ghana	121	125	-4
Iraq	90	95	-5
Sri Lanka	123	128	-5
Luxembourg	6	12	-6
Costa Rica	11	17	-6
Cyprus	51	57	-6
Zambia	136	142	-6
Chile	39	46	-7
South Korea	52	59	-7
Malaysia	64	71	-7
Iran	96	103	-7
Botswana	133	140	-7
Taiwan Province of China	25	34	-9
Namibia	105	114	-9
Peru	63	73	-10
Kenya	109	119	-10
Mexico	22	33	-11
Argentina	34	45	-11
Senegal	99	111	-12
Czechia	10	23	-13
Georgia	78	91	-13
Azerbaijan	95	108	-13
Dominican Republic	61	75	-14
Gabon	91	106	-15
Morocco	98	113	-15
Pakistan	107	122	-15
Israel	2	18	-16
Kosovo	23	39	-16
Armenia	72	88	-16
Slovenia	15	32	-17
Portugal	46	63	-17
Nicaragua	28	47	-19
Latvia	31	51	-20
Slovakia	38	60	-22
Nigeria	108	130	-22
Uganda	111	134	-23
Ecuador	59	84	-25
Panama	26	56	-30
North Macedonia	67	98	-31
Ukraine	82	115	-33
Hungary	36	70	-34
Albania	66	100	-34
El Salvador	17	52	-35
Bosnia & Herzegovina	33	68	-35
Romania	8	48	-40
Lithuania	1	44	-43
Paraguay	37	83	-46
Montenegro	50	97	-47
Bulgaria	40	90	-50
Serbia	3	54	-51
Moldova	29	86	-57
Croatia	14	80	-66

Read next: From Abstract to Urban: A Guide to Understanding Artistic Styles

by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Can ChatGPT Be Trusted? New Study Says The Tool Offers Inaccurate Programming Replies 52% Of The Time

The world of AI has really transformed the tech sector and that means our lives might not be the same again.

Thanks to tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, we’re seeing answers to questions get generated at the speed of light. And most of us go about believing everything we read, without understanding how erroneous they could be.

This is all in regards to a new study on OpenAI’s ChatGPT where we got a better and up-close look at whether or not the feature can be trusted and if yes, to what degree. But we wouldn’t be lying if we said the stats gave us a scare.

ChatGPT and all the other leading AI assistants are hailed for providing replies to the likes of coding and programming very quickly, and that means the speed supersedes that linked to humans today.

All you do is give the prompt and get a reply quickly but thanks to the latest research on this front, you shouldn’t be putting a lot of trust as the majority of replies feature wrong data linked to programming queries.

The news comes from a study carried out this month which was unveiled at Computer Human Interaction Conference. This is where a team of researchers arising from Purdue University checking a series of questions that were received as prompts to the popular AI tool.

They got back replies that were wrong, 52% of the time. Additionally, a staggering 77% of the answers were found to be overly verbose. Now that means if you have been relying on ChatGPT like AI tools to give out programming-related data, you may wish to think twice.

We agree that not all AI can be trusted all the time, but there are some serious mistakes with a high probability. Any AI chatbot that gives you wrong answers so frequently must be shunned and if not, then used with careful double-checks because the probability of things going wrong is just too high.

Experts at Perdue stated how human programmers are so much more reliable and therefore a better preference over ChatGPT. This is why they are even the first choice for 35% of the population and that needs to increase if you want correct information.

Humans are more expressive, and comprehensive in terms of details, and also tend to roll out replies in the most articulated language style imaginable. What is worse than this is how the study proved that human programmers were not able to detect 39% of the time that the replies rolled out were indeed false and filled with errors.

It’s a serious wakeup call we feel and this is just one study that has unraveled some worrisome findings. It does prove how generative AI bots continue to make serious mistakes and how humans might not be capable of catching them.

AI Overviews from Google were put into place across the US for Search at the start of May. They have been producing some of the most strange and error-filled summaries to search for a while now.

But the search giant refuses to accept them as serious mistakes and therefore goes about calling them rare occasions and isolated examples. They feel the replies that are bizarre or so-called classified as dangerous are mostly linked to uncommon questions. They do not represent the majority of people’s experiences.

Moreover, Google boasted how most of the time, users are getting high-quality replies and links that enable them to carry out searches on a deeper level than before. But it is still investigating the matter and is thankful for all the feedback on this front.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

The Role Medical Software Plays in Clinical Trials

Every year, medical experts and pharmaceutical companies develop new medications and treatment options for various ailments. Before these medicines can be released to the mass market, they must undergo rigorous testing during clinical trials. Clinical trials test the safety and efficacy of drugs in people from different demographics. To perform these trials, pharmaceutical companies need reliable medical software to record and secure the data but also to track activities at each phase.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

During this process, medical experts note the side effects of the new medications and adjust the dosage as needed. The government drug administration regulatory body audits clinical trials in the countries where they take place. These audits depend on the data stored on the medical software, and they usually take place after every phase of the clinical trial.

Phases of Clinical Trials

Clinical trials usually occur in the phases listed below:

Phase one

During this phase, drug companies test their new medication on a small group of people, usually 10 to 20 people. The aim is to ensure that a low dose of the medicine is not harmful.

Phase two

This phase aims to find the optimal dose of the treatment and the side effects on the body upon consumption. The participant size is between 20 to 50 people.

Phase three

In this phase, medical experts verify the efficacy of the optimal dosage found in phase two and further investigate the side effects of the medication. The participants in this phase range between 50 and 100 people.

Phase four

Once the medication is proven effective, medical experts will compare it to existing treatments for the same ailment or a placebo. This phase usually has hundreds or thousands of participants. During this phase, the pharmaceutical company producing the drug will also seek government approval to sell it to the mass market.

Phase five

After drug approval and sales to the mass market, the pharmaceutical company will continue to monitor its consumption to observe long-term side effects.

Each phase of clinical trials generates huge volumes of data because of the numerous participants. It is worth noting that every company has its unique method of operation, so there might not exist medical software suited to their unique needs. This is why companies like AROBS develop custom medical software that can be configured with features that will make pharmaceutical companies conduct their trials efficiently.

Features of Medical Software

Pharmaceutical companies often customize their medical software to their unique needs. Nevertheless, some features are commonly found in most medical software used for clinical trials. They are listed below:

1. Electronic health records
2. Financial management
3. Reporting and analytics
4. Inventory management
5. Payroll
6. Medical CRM
7. Telehealth

Endnote

Medical software is a crucial asset for pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials because it helps them keep track of the participants’ performance and health status. They also use it to record medical data that will be audited by the appropriate government regulatory body before approving the medication being developed. This software can be customized to fit the medical needs at hand, making it more useful.

by Web Desk via Digital Information World

From Abstract to Urban: A Guide to Understanding Artistic Styles

Art is difficult to define, but it can be divided into different types for better understanding. Many artworks are available in the market, but people often get confused by the variety. Artworks can be identified by their vision, subject, and the feelings they convey. To help you navigate this, we've created a list of 11 art styles. This guide will help you choose the type of artwork that suits your taste.

1- Abstract Art

Abstract art is all about abstract and non-object things. It is the style of art where the artist uses his emotions and feelings to represent shapes, lines, forms and other gestural marks. Abstract art doesn’t use any material things to awaken emotion.

Image: Pawel Czerwinski / Unsplash

The strokes of colors on the canvas are enough to convey the emotions behind the idea of the artwork.

2- Figurative Art

As we can tell from the name, figurative art uses figures to convey emotions behind the artwork. This is the art style that has been being used for centuries. The artist paints real objects that look like human forms and present it in a way that shows a bigger meaning.

Image: DIW-Aigen

In modern times, figurative art is also being used with other contemporary art types like abstract, minimalist and cubic art.

3- Geometric Art

In this artistic approach, a myriad of geometric shapes such as triangles, squares, and circles converge to construct intricate angles, points, and forms.

Image by StakeCash from Pixabay

From straightforward designs to elaborate compositions, the geometric style of art spans a spectrum of complexity.

4- Minimalist Art

Minimalist art is a type of abstract art but the artist doesn’t use any of his emotions or feelings to make this art style. It is often described as, “what you see is what you see”, which means that there is no hidden meaning behind minimalist art.

Image: Bench Accounting / UnSplash

Image: Hardae/pixabay

Minimalist art is simple, often made with geometric and least expressive figures.

5- Nature Art

This art is all about nature, from landscapes to animals and humans.

Image: eddydsgn/pixabay

You can see nature in different forms of art like painting, drawing, photography and digital technology. It is widely liked by photography enthusiasts across all masses.

6- Pop Art

Pop art started getting well known in post-war America and Britain in the early 1950s. It was first made as a resistant force for other art styles but it gained popularity in the 1960s. Pop art is a simple yet funky form of art which is inspired by people or current situations.

Image: freepik

You can often see pop art graphics in music, comic books, advertising and product packaging.

7- Portraiture

Image: DIW-Aigen

Portraiture is an art style which covers a person, their style, essence and status perfectly. Do you know the famous painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci? It is a perfect example of the portraiture. Portraiture has always been well-known among emperors and kings, especially during the Roman and British empire.

8- Still Life

You can see still life art in painting, drawing, as well as photography. This type of art is for still or inanimate objects. Even a dead person can be a model for still life.

Image: DIW-Aigen / The watermelon symbolizes Palestinian resistance in protests and art, embodying the struggle against Israeli occupation.

Still life artwork can also be about flowers, furniture, game, food and anything that isn’t breathing or moving.

9- Surrealist

Surrealist art style is all about unreal and irrational thinking style projected into art. It serves as a medium for exploring the depths of the psyche, revealing juxtapositions of thoughts and emotions that defy rational explanation.

Image: DIW-Aigen

You cannot define or explain a surrealist art as there is no logic or meaning behind it. It is complex and doesn’t match any real objects. Surrealist art often challenges conventional norms and perceptions, prompting viewers to question reality and delve into the realms of dreams and subconscious thoughts.

10- Typography

Typography art style arranges texts to give a powerful message, that are more popular on digital channels these days. It uses typeface, a method of designing alphabets in specific styles, to convey a feeling, identity or any message.

Image: Nick Fewings/unsplash

You can see typography on books, posters, internet, social media posts and street signs.

11- Urban Art

Image: Nick Fewings / Unsplash

Image: Felix Dubois-Robert / Unsplash

Urban art is often made by artists living in urban areas. These artworks show city life and experiences one faces living in an urban environment. It also shows the negative effects of urbanization like poverty.

Conclusion:

Understanding various art styles enhances our connection to the world and enriches our appreciation of human creativity. Each style offers a unique perspective on the human experience, empowering us to select pieces that resonate with us. Exploring these styles provides insights into history and culture, fostering curiosity and empathy. Embracing different art forms sparks meaningful connections and enriches our lives.

Familiarity with various art forms not only enriches personal taste but also enhances interaction with AI-based image generation tools like DALL-E and Bing Image. For instance, prompting these tools to create a modern illustration versus a realistic minimalist art piece can yield vastly different visual outputs. Understanding these distinctions empowers users to craft more precise prompts, resulting in more tailored and satisfying outcomes from AI-generated images.

Read next: Analytical Thinking, Creativity in Jobs Benefit Long-Term Brain Health, Research Shows
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Study Reveals Apple and Starlink Users' Locations Easily Trackable, Sparking Privacy Concerns

Researchers from the University of Maryland conducted research showing how the location of Apple and Starlink users can be tracked easily. This is an alarming situation that creates a privacy threat worldwide, particularly in areas where wars and oppressions are ongoing (such as in Palestine/Gaza). Starlink has a Wi-Fi-based positioning system (WPS) that uses Wi-Fi signals to determine the location of the device you are using. It utilizes nearby Wi-Fi access points and signal strengths to determine the locations.

Apple collects the location of their users to provide their devices with a Wi-Fi-Based Positioning System, an alternative to the Global Positioning System (GPS). For the research, researchers performed an attack using data from Apple to collect a snapshot of Wi-Fi Basic Service Set Identifiers (BSSID) geolocations. As a result, they could easily monitor the Wi-Fi access points of Apple users anywhere in the world. The researchers also mentioned that the attack method they used can be executed by anyone with basic technical knowledge. After researching for a year, the team determined the location of about two billion BSSIDs worldwide.

• Also read: Majority of Shoppers Embrace AI Search for Product Discovery

As a result of this study, researchers were also able to identify the location of several travel routers, which pose a significant threat to people who do not want to be tracked. War zones were particularly exposed to this tracking. Researchers found nearly 3,722 Starlink terminals based in military zones in Ukraine. They also discovered that the Apple devices they tracked never even used WPS. All of them just needed to be within Wi-Fi range to expose their location publicly and get tracked.

The team of researchers informed Google and Apple about their findings, as both companies use their own WPS. They also discussed their concerns with GL.iNet and SpaceX. In response, Apple announced in March 2024 that users can now opt out of having their wireless access points' locations collected by Apple. To prevent Google from indexing your location, simply add "_nomap" to the name of your Wi-Fi access points (SSID).

Read next: 53% of the Consumers in the US are Following AI or Virtual Influencers on Different Social Media Platforms
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

53% of the Consumers in the US are Following AI or Virtual Influencers on Different Social Media Platforms

Many companies on social media are using AI-created influencers to make their brands grow. Most of these identities are AI generated or digital avatars. The researchers over at Influencer Marketing Factory did a survey of 1,000 consumers to find out how well AI and virtual creators are performing on social media feeds.

The survey found out that 53% of those surveyed consumers are following at least one virtual influencer while 22% of them are familiar or know some of those entirely virtual personalities.

There are many AI generated influencers on social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram with millions of followers. Among these personalities are Magazine Luiza with 69 million Instagram followers and Lil Miquela with 2.6 million Instagram followers. Lil Miquela was created by a tech startup known as Brud and this AI influencer has worked with many brands such as Samsung and Prada. 49% of the consumers said that they followed these AI personalities because they were curious and wanted to know how they work on social media while 36% said that they followed the creators for entertainment. Some participants in the survey also said that they followed the creators because they wanted to know about new products from a virtual point of view.

36% of the participants of the survey also said that they would like if the virtual stars write about their AI nature in their bio to avoid any misunderstandings. When the participants who were not following any AI creator the reason for not following, they said that they are not interested while some replied that they are more interested in real relationships than engaging with AI.

The report also showed that YouTube is the top social media platform with most virtual celebrates with 59% of the participants following them there. TikTok was the platform with the second most virtual personalities with 56% of the participants following them there. Instagram had 51% of the participants following AI influencers, followed by Twitch with 18% followers. 63% of the participants following virtual stars were Millennials and Gen-Z. 71% of the participants in the survey also admitted that despite following all these AI influencers, they haven’t made a purchase after being inspired by them.

Read next: The Impact and Importance of Children’s Technology Use
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World