Though AI has been around for decades, it is only recently that many have become aware of how much it’s a very real part of our every day lives. From agriculture, home security, finance and Stock bots, self driving cars, to social media filters and Deep Fakes – AI is everywhere. Everywhere you turn there’s a new conversation about how to use ChatGPT, or the plans to use AI related to certain online social-media-related universes that shall remain nameless. (You know the one, right? Yeah, you know.)

But not all uses of AI are so obvious – I mean, you’d expect it in a virtual reality experience. So where is AI being used that you might not expect? Tons of places, all of which feel a little bit sci-fi when you think about it too hard:

1. Agriculture – robot bees, autonomous vehicles, crop monitoring

Bee populations have been declining for several decades, due to mites and diseases spreading across the world. Given their need in crop pollination, scientists have been looking at ways to cure them, and if that fails eliminate the need for them in agriculture.

Progress has been made in developing micro-drones with camera, GPS, and powered by AI to help them navigate from plant to plant.Another robotic bee is being designed to operate between the rows of vertical farms and use blasts of air to force the plant to start the pollination process.Walmart is working on a patent for ‘’systems and methods for pollinating crops via unmanned vehicles’’, for AI powered drone bees (robotics) to be used to replace real bees for pollination.Large scale farms are using self-driving machines to plow their fields, spread pesticides, and harvest their crops – all powered by AI and GPS systems. What we have seen in movies for years, is actually being used right now. AI is also being used to review and monitor data about the crops being grown and harvested, to guide the farmers to make better choices on their land, and produce more yield per acre.

2. Coaching –

Given AI’s ability to review massive amounts of data, new AI apps can provide highly personal workout plans for athletes – including both diet and exercise. They never sleep and can offer support 24/7 to each athlete – during meal-prep, workouts, and times of stress. A 24/7/365 coach on your mobile device, if you will.

3. Flipping Burgers –

A robot names Flippy 2 is a second generation device being used in CaliBurger restaurants that can flip burgers and put them on a bun – to the tune of 150-300 patties per hour. Flippy can also fry chicken, fries and cut vegetables. ( Flippy 2 is manufactured by Miso Robotics. ) All this is powered by AI decision making, so that it can select the right tools, evaluate the product cook time and quality, and save time and effort by humans.

4. Adaptive Battery Charging –

Most people are blissfully unaware that AI has been used in Android phones since the 9 version. It has a feature called adaptive battery that helps maximize your battery life by learning your usage habits and then uses that information to regulate your apps. This results in longer battery life for your device.

5. Brushing your teeth –

Another product that has been using AI for nearly a decade is the first AI-featured toothbrush, made by Kolibree in 2014. Oral-B also makes a toothbrush with AI, called the Genius X, which helps you by providing personal coaching on how to best brush your teeth, by learning how you perform the task over repeated use.

6. Falling & Car crash detector –

Most people have heard that their Apple watches have a Fall monitor/detector. What they may not know is that the Fall detection is powered by AI. The motion sensors can tell the difference between normal motions and fall indicators. Google and Apple phones are also powered by AI to help detect car crashes and then alert the appropriate contacts to assist.

7. Designing gardens and landscaping –

Landscapers and Garden architects are using AI powered apps that help design their installations by looking at geographic locations, shade needs, and plant styles to guide the work and make appropriate recommendations. By entering the customers requirements, the Apps help pick the right mix of varieties of plants to install, based on watering needs for the plants, and even the placement of the plants for maximum effect.

8. Design parts for space crafts –

Design engineers are using AI tools to assist in crafting parts for space crafts – which require highly specific specifications on weight and strength of materials. AI tools help model the parts faster and more efficiently than their human counterparts. They also come up with suggestions for new components and materials, but based on the requirements input into the algorithm.

9. Beer Consulting –

A London based company, IntelligentX, is using AI to review data from customers on how new beers taste, to learn how to create new flavors. The tool reviews the input from customers online without the need to do focus groups, which takes far more time than doing the same work via the app. The tool then uses AI to interpret the results and then delivers recommendations to the Brewery to adapt to new beers for their customers.

10. Perfume test review and recommendations –

Perfumers in Germany are using AI to help them review customer data on thousands of scents in an effort to determine the best options to produce, or create mixtures for new formulations. IBM and a German Fragrance House Symrise are using AI to study historical buyer data so that they can predict what new fragrances might sell the best.
All interesting areas where one might never have thought AI was going uses.