Virtual intelligence is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that exists inside a virtual world. It is created and optimized to carry out specific tasks to aid a user within a defined framework. At the outset, a virtual intelligence machine can seem like a smart system based on how it interacts with a user. In reality, though, it isn’t.
Virtual intelligence is a code or program that functions within the controlled environment it was created for. As such, it can’t generate spontaneous solutions and responses. It responds only based on predetermined factors.
You can find virtual intelligence in action in Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation software, chatbots, virtual assistants, interactive maps, and wearables. While it can learn from its interactions to enhance performance, that learning is limited to the original functionality it was designed for.
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The field of AI is developing rapidly, as many organizations and startups continue to join the bandwagon to create technologies that aim to make our lives more comfortable. That said, it’s easy to confuse AI with virtual intelligence, but they have differences.
What Is the Difference between Virtual Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence?
The term “virtual intelligence” is not as common as AI. Many think, therefore, that the two refer to the same thing. It must be said, though, that virtual intelligence is not a new concept. It has been around for several years now. In fact, many of today’s available technologies use it. When you use apps like Waze, Google Maps, Garmin, or Fitbit, you are using virtual intelligence.
While it may seem that these technologies are “smart” because they give us directions to unfamiliar places or recommend workout routines and diet programs, they are only capable of virtual intelligence instead of the entire AI toolset. As such, these apps can’t predict outcomes. They merely mimic decision-making and make recommendations based on a predefined set of criteria. Asking or expecting them to do more than they are programmed to do isn’t possible.
An example would be using Waze. If it tells you to make a left on the next intersection and fail to, it won’t caution you that you’re making a wrong turn. Instead, it would only recalculate results after you’ve made the wrong turn. An AI-powered app would warn you about your intended action before you make it. So if Waze was AI-capable, missing your turn won’t happen.
Virtual Intelligence Use Cases
Apart from the virtual intelligence-based apps mentioned above, the following also harness the technology’s capabilities:
Task Trainer VR
The Duke School of Nursing developed Task Trainer VR as part of its virtual training simulation. The goal is to test their nurses’ skills in performing procedures to determine their ability to make patient care decisions. Task Trainer VR is loaded with criteria that it uses to react to the nurses’ responses.
MyCyberTwin
Another virtual intelligence technology that improves business operations is MyCyberTwin. It’s an application that offers cutting-edge chat solutions, allowing businesses to respond to their customers’ needs. The tool helps improve customer engagement because interacting with it improves its performance over time.
CUTLASS
The military is an industry that significantly benefits from a host of virtual intelligence applications. One of these is CUTLASS, a remote bomb disposal robot developed by Northrop Grumman. The system allows users to disarm a bomb without the risks commonly associated with doing so.
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Virtual intelligence will continue to evolve, bringing us closer to the ultimate realization of superhuman AI.
