The theme of the Product Realization Group’s 7th Annual Symposium on September 14, 2017 is “Artificial Intelligence, Revolution or Evolution?”
Background of Artificial Intelligence
The term artificial intelligence (“AI”) was first coined by John McCarthy in 1955, as part of a summer workshop at Dartmouth College attended by some of the world’s then leading thinkers in computing. McCarthy, who later came to Stanford, described AI:
“The study is to proceed on the conjecture that every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it. An attempt will be made to find how to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve kinds of problems reserved for humans, and improve themselves.”
The 1955 conference proposed to look at automatic computers, how the computer could be programmed to use a language, neuron nets, the theory of the size of the calculation, self improvement, abstractions, randomness and creativity. See A Proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, J. McCarthy, Dartmouth College; M.L. Minsky Harvard University; N. Rochester, IBM Corporation; C.E. Shannon, Bell Telephone Laboratories; August 31, 1955.
Artificial Intelligent / Robotics Application – Autonomous Vehicles
AI applications today include robotics across a multitude of fields, from manufacturing to defense to medical to consumer. Autonomous vehicles and drones are at the forefront of AI development. Many of us have been nervously driving alongside Waymo (formerly Google) vehicles for years. We sheepishly ask Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa for advice or to do simple tasks for us.
How is Artificial Intelligence shifting Hardware Product Development?
PRG will welcome a panel of Silicon Valley experts to discuss the future of AI Hardware Products at this years’ Symposium. The panel, moderated by Alastair Trueger, founder of Creative Ventures includes:
- Luke Tang, General Manager, TechCode AI Accelerator
- Radhika Dirks, Partner, Xlabs.ai
- Mark Jacobstein, Chief User Engagement Officer at Guardant Health
- Greg Reichow, General Partner, Eclipse Ventures and former VP of Manufacturing at Tesla Motors
Trueger, who approaches AI with a healthy layer of skepticism, is looking forward to discussing AI / Robotics trends with the panel. Trueger sees really good opportunities for AI companies right now. The “healthy skeptic” sees companies that could have innovated without AI, but nonetheless, perhaps AI forced the innovation. According to Trueger, Silicon Valley is really good at shifting marketing where the money is. By using AI in today’s market, Trueger say’s that entrepreneurs are more comfortable that they can get the investment money that they will need.
When evaluating new AI investment opportunities from startups, Trueger looks at the following as potential red flags:
- The startup views AI as the panacea for for everything.
- The startup has no idea of the actual benefit from its AI product.
- The startup cannot articulate whether there a cost savings to its customers.
- The startup cannot measure the product’s benefit to the customer.
- The startup hasn’t talked to its potential customers.
- The startup’s potential customers aren’t set up to take advantage of what it plans to give them– there are no business systems in place to connect to the customer.
According to Trueger, AI is a field where small hardware startups can compete and flatten the playing field. For AI, algorithms are commoditized, and the best data set wins over the best algorithm. The small startup doesn’t need the same dataset as Facebook; it can likely run its algorithms against a smaller, more relevant and obtainable dataset.
Join us for the 2017 PRG Hardware Symposium!
For more information and to register for the 2017 Product Realization Group Hardware Symposium on September 14, 2017. Use the registration link below to get a 15% discounted ticket.
- Network with 300 hardware professionals, investors, & service providers
- Learn how AI is impacting hardware products from our Expert Panel
- See 10+ new hardware product demos
Date: Thursday, Sept 14
Time: 8:00am-2:30pm
Location: Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
The 2017 Product Realization Group Hardware Symposium is Silicon Valley’s Premier Event for Hardware Professionals, Investors, & Service Providers. In addition to the panel, hear keynote speaker Nahid Sidki, Executive Director of the Robotics Systems Center at SRI International, see product demonstrations and exhibitors, and enjoy a BBQ lunch and networking with other hardware professionals!
