By: Deepak Kumar

It was one fine winter day on November 30, 2022, that OpenAI unleashed ChatGPT to the public. The ‘AI’ buzzword, hitherto relegated to being jargon used by nerdy PhD labs and the tech elites or a marketing catchphrase used by neo-techno startups to woo VCs, had transcended its niche origins to become a household name. It captured the public imagination like nothing else, becoming the fastest- growing consumer software application in history by January 2023. It reached about 100 million active users in just 2 months after launch! In comparison, Netflix took 20 years to reach the 100 million-mark. People were mind-blown by what they saw; they could ask any question and get the most relevant answer instantly, solve coding questions, get help with homework, find food recipes, and even plan their travel. People were discovering new use cases with ChatGPT that the original creators never thought possible.

AI had truly arrived!

The AI Rollercoaster: Hype and Hysteria

Soon, the euphoria of ChatGPT’s meteoric rise was replaced by concern. Is this the start of AGI? Is Skynet next? Will this lead to singularity? Will AI replace my job? Lots of doomsday predictions started pouring in and flooded social media sites. Prominent public figures like Yuval Noah Harari were vocal with their criticism of the technology behind ChatGPT.

Human beings have always been very optimistic about the pace of technological advancement. Movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey predicted AGI-like systems as early as 2001, and Back to the Future Part II, released in 1989, predicted that robots and flying cars would be ubiquitous as early as 2015. We pushed our creative minds further in science fiction in movies like ‘The Matrix’ and the ‘Terminator’. If you think that it is the creative movie geniuses that were off about technology, you are wrong. Even Ray Kurzweil, a futurist and director of engineering at Google, made various predictions about the future of AI and technology. He predicted that by the 2020s, autonomous cars would be common, and by the 2030s, we would achieve AGI. In 2024, we can now acknowledge that while significant progress has been made in AI and autonomous driving technologies, we are still at least a few years away from fully autonomous vehicles and probably another half-decade away.

As with any technological innovation, there are two sides to it. One of the most interesting arguments I have heard against the pervasive usage of AI and the need for more control and trust comes from Yuval Noah Harari, the author of the best-selling book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. He argues that throughout human civilization, power and trust have consistently been placed in the hands of fellow humans. Initially, this trust was vested in shamans and magicians. With the advent of organized religions, it shifted to religious leaders, then to monarchs, and eventually to government heads. However, the emergence of AI is transforming this dynamic, leading humanity to place its trust in algorithms – an entity they do not fully understand. He presents the case of Angelina Jolie, who underwent a double-mastectomy after an AI predicted an 87% more likely to develop breast cancer due to a mutation in her BCRA gene. Please note that she had not developed breast cancer yet, just that for her genes and the mutation, an AI predicted that she had an 87% likelihood. So, in this case, a person decided to entrust her life to an AI algorithm! Despite these concerns, AI also offers unprecedented opportunities to solve complex societal issues, as seen in Rakuten's innovative applications.

A Case Study: Rakuten's AI for Social Good

I will discuss the positive impact of AI and how Rakuten, through its Rakuten Medical and Rakuten Seniors program, addresses two of the major contemporary issues: cancer treatments and the issues precipitated by the rapidly aging population. These two issues align with the Rakuten Group's cor mission to contribute to society by creating value through innovation, thereby advancing and enriching society.

Rakuten, through its Rakuten Medical arm, is championing a new and novel way to treat head and neck cancers. Through our patented Photo-Immuno Therapy (PIT), we do not use harmful radiation to treat patients. Putting technical details aside, this treatment involves administering medicines called immunoglobulins directly to the tumor site. These immunoglobulins are sensitive to a specific frequency of natural light.

Then, the specific-frequency light is shone on the tumor site to activate the medicine, which in turn destroys the cancerous cells. Because this treatment does not involve harmful radiation, patients experience minimal side effects. Rakuten employs AI-powered technologies in this treatment to monitor patient responses, immune cell activity at the cancer site, and the genetic factors contributing to the cancer. Soon, AI will allow us to tailor specific drugs for specific individuals, heralding a new era of personalized treatment and care.

Rakuten is addressing another societal challenge through AI: the needs of a rapidly aging global population, particularly in Japan, where 30% of its population above 65 years of age. giving rise to the new ‘silver generation’. These demographic faces unique challenges: how do we keep them mentally and physically active? How can we ensure they are not socially isolated, especially considering the increased severity in the post-pandemic world?

Social isolation is a particularly severe problem for humanity. Human beings are social animals; we crave human touch and interactions. It enriches our lives with love, warmth, and diverse perspectives. This need to connect, to feel seen and understood by another, is a fundamental part of our being. The film "Cast Away" poignantly illustrates this truth. Tom Hanks' character, isolated on a deserted island, finds companionship in a volleyball he names 'Wilson.' This simple act of naming a silent object underscores a raw human truth: our survival hinges not just on food and water, but on the presence of connection.

'Wilson' becomes more than an inanimate object; he becomes a beacon of hope, a reminder that even in our loneliest moments, the essence of human connection keeps us alive. Advancements in AI and technologies like Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) are making it increasingly easy for human beings to converse naturally with machines. She feels heard; she can share her joys, sorrows, and whims with it. An AI-powered robot isn’t judgmental, does not tire, and will help the granny have better end-of-life care than a human could possibly provide!

Rakuten, through its Rakuten Senior app, provides a platform for the senior population, one of the means to combat this social isolation. It enables them to discover events happening nearby at their location to participate, learn, and engage with fellow senior citizens. It promotes a healthier lifestyle by motivating users to walk at least 4000 steps per day to earn Rakuten points (rewards). Here, again, Rakuten uses AI to personalize the events for the senior population, with the scope in the future to introduce personalized telemedicine.

Summing it up!

In conclusion, the journey of AI, exemplified by the launch of ChatGPT, has evoked a range of emotions and reactions, from awe and fascination to concern and skepticism. As we stand on the brink of new discoveries and innovations, it's evident that AI will continue to be an integral part of our lives, shaping our future in ways we are only beginning to understand. It has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, combat loneliness, solve mobility problems and solve countless other challenges. However, just like any powerful tool, AI requires responsible development and implementation. By harnessing its capabilities for good and fostering a human-centric approach, we can ensure AI becomes a true partner in building a brighter future.