In the early days when my path crossed with the wonders of digital technology, I paid much attention to exploring the depth of the amazing revolution caused by this invention (the computer). In my "Computer Basics and Digital Skills Foundation" class, I explained that there is no specialty about Artificial Intelligence in its nature, as it's based on the computer's intended purpose and projection. The computer was invented to replace humanity in a way.
I won't be explaining the concept of the AI revolution as someone with complex knowledge across associated terminologies of AI, such as Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Robotics, Large Language Models (LLM), data science and other terms. Instead, my approach will be as the way I saw it as a layman, even when I had little or no knowledge about AI and my exploits with the knowledge. I will also proceed to the historical trends from the past, present, and the future of AI, exposing the opportunities and new jobs provided across the timeline, as well as the threatened jobs as a result of the revolution.
Prompt engineering is currently the most predominant job as a result of the AI revolution. I will explore and supply sample prompts across various categories of AI models.
MY COMPUTER STORY - My childhood experiences weren't like those of the current generation of children. There were very few desktop computers, and even mobile phones weren't available in my country at that time. The major forms of technology we had access to were the radio, MP3 players, and television. Only a few had a telephone landline during this era. The only place where we frequently saw a computer was in our computer workbook/textbook, courtesy of my primary school computer teacher, Uncle James.
I vividly remember that photocopy machines weren't so common at that time. In my school, I recall the method in which our exam questions were duplicated as we observed from afar. Our exam question papers used to be typewritten and duplicated by a wood-like duplicating mesh and ink, resulting in rough question papers. I'm still trying to understand how that worked.
There came a phase when our school switched to a neater method using computer-typed and photocopied question papers. I wasn't there to observe how this was done because our school didn't have a computer, but I noticed the change.
A flash from my memory pictured only two computer training centres around my jurisdiction at that time, and I could only look them from the outside afar off, I didn't enter into the computer centres to see computer.
Uncle James decided to take us on a practical tour to one of those computer centres so that we could have a closer look at what we learned in class. We weren't allowed to touch them, maybe because of a power outage during our visit, the computers weren't switched on in our presence.
There came a time when a cyber cafe/computer centre was established near our residence. During those times, I observed how the elderly purchased browsing time when my dad sent me to make photocopies of documents. Yet, I hadn't personally operated a computer.
I also remember a time when my mom took me on a journey to the city of Ibadan during a holiday to visit my uncle. When we got to Ibadan, I observed a different world from the one I came from because I saw some people at night holding a blue-faced screen device and talking alone; some screens were green. It was during the era of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. Global System Mobile (GSM) had just been introduced in Nigeria, and it was introduced in major cities. Ibadan, being one of Nigerian major city, enjoyed the early privilege. Mom said to me, "Deji! Oje mura si iwe re, nitori ohun ti won tun gbede yii, awon olowo nikan lo kapa e," translated as "Deji! Be serious in your academics because this new thing introduced can only be afforded by the rich." Mom said this by analysing the prices then because even getting the SIM card was costly, not to mention the price of the phone. At that time, mom used to work as a telephone operator at the governor's office. Over a few months, GSM was also rolled out in our area. Some saved to acquire it, and there were many phone booths. Calling and SMS became the business of that time.
In the course of a few years, more sophisticated phones were produced. The evolution in the physical appearance of phones progressed from black on blue/green/white screens to coloured screens, foldable phones, sliding screens, touch screens, computer keyboard character sets, and in terms of features, from just calls and SMS, ringing tones, alarms, and simple games to advanced features like browsing, games, music, and video on gadgets through sharing with infrared and later Bluetooth. Storage capacity also grew and became extensible and replaceable.
Phones became popular, and even the average person had at least one, with some of my secondary schoolmates having them. Somehow, we had at least one (a Samsung foldable phone) in our family. If I'm not mistaken in my memories, I think we had a computer before having a phone. Although we weren't permitted to operate the computer except for my elder sister, as the PC was dedicated for her final year project, my younger brother and I found a way to get into the system in her absence, and all we did with it was install and play games - that's a confession.
I also remember my first experience of operating a phone. It was scary to touch Dad's phone because of the fear that it would spoil in my hand. My elder sister was my tutor. She said to me, "The operation of a phone is just similar to that of a computer..." and introduced me to the interface.
A time came when Mom's phone arrived. It was a more sophisticated one - a Nokia sliding phone with a touchscreen, more features, and the ability to browse the internet for many things. This will lead to another one of my confessions. Then, MTN always gave 10MB on ₦100 airtime recharge per week. I always did that so I could get data to download new games to play throughout the week.
Fast forward to my turn to personally own a phone. Mom bought a small phone for me around the time I was preparing for my O' level examinations. Though not a sophisticated one yet, I had a phone I could call mine. As time went by, I upgraded my phone by saving for its replacement. But before proceeding with the phone part, let me tell you how I got acquainted with a computer.
While waiting for admission to higher education, I enrolled at Touchview Computech and Educational Consultant in Ile-Ife after relocating from Osogbo. Initially, the plan was to start with the basics of desktop publishing and Microsoft applications, but my interest gravitated towards something more advanced from the beginning - graphics design with Corel draw.
My prior exposure to computer operations, having observed my elder sister working on her final year project using MS word had familiarize me, though I initially found Ms office to be a less interesting venture. Although my interactions with the computer were limited to indulging in games at that time, I felt familiar with its operations. Rather than beginning with the fundamentals like MS Word and typing, I opted for a more engaging path and joined an ongoing graphics design class.
Though I missed some basics and fundamental training, I later bridged the gaps through self-study and even took on a voluntary teaching role, teaching the new apprentices. Thanks to diligence, my mistress eventually employed me as part of her staff, and gradually, I transitioned into becoming a salaried employee. The journey became even more intriguing as I got gadget of my own.
MY FIRST SMARTPHONE - I just lost my Nokia phone, and have been saving cash for its replacement. Nokia's price was on the high side then. But there's a transition in the world of mobile device I don't initially like. I love the buttons, but the time has changed to buttonless phones. In my mind, I thought what better experience can I get playing games on a buttonless phones. But I'm dearly in need of a internet browsing phone and my savings then hasn't reached the target. I would unwillingly opt for a smartphone. Not little did I realized that the experience is better than the buttons. I got to see the power of the accelerometer while gaming - I won't forget my gaming experience with Asphalt 8 car race. It's as if I'm inside the game. Smartphone is better than button phone but I would get the best of experience with PC.
I saved for my PC, good economy, stable income - I got a brand new hp PC. Almost everything in digital technologies interest me. That's made me a generalist. I had device to practice with about what I research. Website design, 2d and 3d Animation, data entry and analysis, motion graphics in addition to several basics and fundamentals I was able to explore. I discovered all is about automation even time before the prevalence of Artificial Intelligence in 2022.
Technologies like text to speech, speech to text, optical character recognition, cross language automated translation are few of the artificial intelligence concept I talked about in years back. See ("Computer Basics and Digital Skills Foundation" course). Though these techs come with one price or the other, some affordable, others are costly. Time, strength, knowledge, people, and cash - the prices.
Part of my exploration in time past was the quest to get anything I wanted on the network space through the power of the search engines and other notable websites (@ affordable or no price at all). I keep updated on technological news, blogs and social media, additional training and courses. Fast-forwarded to November 2022, I almost missed the most revolutionary technology of the computer era - LLM called ChatGPT by OpenAI. It came to my awareness almost a week it was first introduced. After trying it out, I know that this is revolutionary. This technology introduced a new profession called prompt engineering.
This guide can't exhaust everything about the ever-changing AI era, but it will serve as a foundation and also capture major tools with their alternatives and prompt engineering techniques in such aspects.
My curiosity and interest towards artificial intelligence have been present since the early days of my enthusiasm for computers. I see the technology (computer) itself as AI. As I always say in class, AI is everything in computers, and everything in computers is AI. The reason why AI prevails more in this time is because of the spontaneity in the rise of amazing tools. Technology is all about tools, but tools have evolved from hardware to software over the ages. Around the 20th and the earliest part of the 21st century, the development in technology was a bit slow, and only a few people had access to advanced tech. I will yet share a few things I discovered and explored around the concept of AI in this era.