AI is a technology that can make its own decisions. AI is the fastest growing technology in the technology industry lately. AI plays a special role in data security, quick decision making, and accuracy improvement.
Vivek Poudel is a Nepali working in Silicon Valley, USA.
Vivek Poudel is a Post Doctoral Scholar at Stanford University.Poudel specializes in AI and Machine Learning and Biomedical Data Science Personalization Algorithm and Big Data Science.Today we present the edited excerpt of the conversation we had with Poudel in our podcast.
Tell us something about post doctoral research?
It's like a scientist's job after completing a PhD. But this is not a degree. In the field of education and leadership development, the postdoctoral fellows, in consultation with eminent scientists, are assisted to further refine their research.
Post doctoral can be done as long as it takes you. I am currently working in Silicon Valley, especially with AI in mind.
What areas do you work in?
I mainly work in three areas of AI. I'm working on developing an algorithm that suggests we might like this show when we run Netflix, YouTube. I also work towards bio-medical data science.
There are millions of cells in our body, in which the disease or the change that can come to our body has already occurred four or five years ago. My team and I are also trying to find out what could happen to the body in the future by analyzing the data of such cells.
Because of this, drug treatment can be done from the initial stage. In addition to this, I am also interested in the field of autonomous vehicle development, making new medicines and weather related problems.
Where were you involved before you arrived at Stanford?
I have completed my PhD from Switzerland. I also did my undergraduate studies at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
I did my undergraduate studies from India and I completed all my school level studies from Chitwan. I am currently doing post doctoral from California, USA.
How did your interest in computers grow?
While I was in school, news from companies like Yahoo, Google and Apple started appearing in the news. And it used to be a fun and amazing experience to hear.
My school was an average private school. There I got to see and operate a computer at the secondary level. When I started using the computer, I was very curious about what it could do.
After that, I came to know that computers have not only hardware on the outside but also software for programming inside. After getting information about this, I became interested in doing something in software.
In Nepal, a person who can bring good returns, earn good money and earn reputation is considered as a successful personality, due to which there is no environment to waste the ability of the student.
That's why I had to use hidden internet while I was in Nepal. I used to do programming only after everyone slept at night. My school's library mam and computer teacher encouraged me to take the right path even though there was an atmosphere of fear at home.
He would also let me use the computer during breaks. I think that helped a lot to strengthen my interest in computer.
You are an expert in technology. Most of us have a laid back attitude when it comes to painting a picture about ourselves. Technology is advancing a lot, but it will eventually destroy people. Do you think that in the future, machines will be able to occupy the world without human existence?
This is a very difficult question because I have to talk about the future. Technology is evolving so fast that it is impossible to predict what will happen after two years. This is not only in the hands of scientists and various stakeholders of our society can also play a role in this regard.
Stakeholders' decisions also make a difference in where science turns. We now stand in a center where machines are being manipulated using artificial intelligence.
But soon after this trend seen in the last few years has shown that with the development of various biology, warm technology, robotics and various other fields, people are also becoming like machines. My understanding is that the boundary between machine and human is becoming blurred.
From the watches we wear to the mobiles we carry, machines have been entering the human world until now, but now they are also entering the body, an example of which is the warm plant. Similarly, we take medicine.
The time is fast approaching when it will be difficult to distinguish between humans and machines. How it is used will bring good or bad results. That is why in the future there will be very exciting and happy days and there will be terrible scary days.
Want to say something to someone who wants to work in a field like yours?
What I want to say to people who want to work in these fields is that if you have a strong belief that something works inside you, then work regardless of who thinks what.
You have to develop that courage and ability on your own. If there is a struggle in the work you want to do, it will get you involved. But it will also make you stronger to deal with situations.
If you can overcome difficult times, you will become stronger in it. It also helps yourself.
(Source - Our Calendar / Podcast)