One of the most important things in life is the continuous pursuit of understanding—understanding ourselves, others, and the world around us. As a professional, I have always strived to grow, but I believe true growth comes from deepening our knowledge across all domains. There are endless questions to explore, and I can think of no greater pursuit than striving for a deeper understanding of all things.

For as long as I can remember, I have pushed myself professionally, never neglecting my academic pursuits. However, I have now decided to make structured learning a larger part of my life. As a result, I am embarking on my journey for higher education. My goal is to always be working toward one degree or another, using formal education as a way to focus and refine my knowledge.

Given my background in Computer Science and the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence, I have chosen to pursue a Master’s degree in Computer Science with a focus on AI. I use the term Artificial Intelligence rather than Machine Learning or Data Science because AI is the broader field that encompasses those disciplines as well as areas like robotics and cognitive modeling.

Why AI, and Why Now? Link to heading

I have followed AI developments for a long time but, until recently, did not see enough practical applications to justify a significant investment of my time. That has certainly changed?

The question I am exploring is: What can we do with AI today? Not in some distant future where AI rules the world, but in the present—what real-world applications are already making an impact? Here are some of the most practical and successful use cases for AI today:

Machine Learning Link to heading

  • Models that can learn from data
  • Fraud detection in banking and finance

Computer Vision Link to heading

  • Self-driving cars
  • Medical image analysis
  • Object detection and facial recognition
  • Image restoration and enhancement

Natural Language Processing (NLP) Link to heading

  • Writing assistants like Grammarly
  • Named Entity Recognition (NER)
  • Sentiment analysis for social media and reviews
  • Search engines and auto-complete features

Scientific Research Link to heading

  • Data analysis in healthcare (e.g., the MIMIC dataset)
  • Drug discovery and protein folding (e.g., AlphaFold)

Deep Learning Link to heading

  • The foundation for large language models (LLMs)
  • Advances in autonomous vehicles

Business Applications Link to heading

  • Demand forecasting for inventory management and marketing
  • Price optimization and dynamic pricing
  • Personalized product recommendations

Speech Recognition Link to heading

  • Text-to-speech and speech-to-text applications

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Link to heading

  • Automated data processing and workflow optimization

Social Media Link to heading

  • Content recommendation and targeted advertising

Robotics Link to heading

  • The Mars Rover and autonomous exploration
  • Robots such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot
  • Amazon’s warehouse automation

Finance & Trading Link to heading

  • Large-scale market data analysis
  • Portfolio optimization and stock screening
  • Time series analysis for trading strategies

The Rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) Link to heading

Today, when people think of AI, they often think of applications powered by deep learning and large language models. These systems have unlocked capabilities that were unimaginable just a few years ago:

  • Autonomous research and customer support agents
  • Real-time language translation
  • Code generation and software development assistance
  • AI-driven content creation and brainstorming

While AI is still not a universal solution to all problems, it is increasingly proving its value across industries.

Join me on my journey as I explore the evolving landscape of AI. I’ll continue sharing my insights, especially on AI applications in finance and trading—though my interests extend far beyond. If there’s anything specific you’d like me to cover, let me know! What AI applications do you find most useful and engaging?