Seeing all the new developments in AI takes me back to the glorious '80s – a time when big, frizzy hair-doos and mullets were in vogue, and when The Hoff (David Hasselhoff) graced our television screens in the iconic series, "Knight Rider."
I remember being glued to my TV watching Michael Knight and his trusty AI-powered car KITT embark on high-octane adventures. Each episode KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand model AI) showcased its futuristic features: KITT's self-driving prowess, voice recognition that always understood Michael's requests (even in the middle of an '80s power ballad), or its ability to make decisions to save the day. It was almost as if Siri and Alexa had taken vehicular form, decades before the first smartphone.
KITT was, without a doubt, a symbol of '80s pop culture. But it was also a harbinger of the future of technology. The sassy, sarcastic, and smart car made us dream. And dream big we did!
Flash forward to today, and here we are – living in a world where AI isn't just a futuristic dream, but rapidly becoming an integral part of our daily lives. "Okay, Google" has replaced "Hey, KITT." Self-driving cars are no longer the stuff of TV fantasy but are being tested on roads around the world. And while these vehicles might not have the same witty banter that KITT did (seriously, where's the setting for 'sarcastic' on my GPS?), the technological marvels under their hoods are nothing short of astonishing.
Reflecting on this, it's evident that the AI-driven future we once watched in "Knight Rider" isn’t a distant reality anymore. It's almost here. And with it comes a host of opportunities and challenges for non-profits. From the ways services are delivered, improving accessibility of websites and information, and personalized marketing — nonprofits could utilize these emerging AI technologies to further their causes. It's time to start dreaming big about the possibilities AI has for our organizations.
While we might not all have our personal KITT waiting for us in the garage just yet, that dream isn't too far off. And as we edge closer to that reality, I smile thinking about how a fictional talking car from the '80s gave us a glimpse of the future we're now building. Who knows, maybe my future car will have a sense of humor and serenade me with some '80s tunes. One can dream, right? 🚗🎵