Is it the stuff of flashy tech demos or a real technology that is already starting to transform the business world and the working lives of millions? Artificial intelligence has long been recognised as the most important new general-purpose technology for a generation. But it has been less clear how its impact will be felt in everyday business life.
它是华而不实的技术演示，还是已经开始改变商业世界和数百万人的工作生活的真正技术？人工智能(AI)长期以来一直被认为是一代人最重要的新通用技术。但人们还不太清楚，它会对日常商业生活产生怎样的影响。
This week’s annual developer events from some of the biggest US tech companies have been a good moment to take the temperature. Microsoft, Meta and Google’s cloud division each made a case to developers for why their tech platforms deserve attention, with prowess in AI very much at the centre.
本周，美国一些最大科技公司举行了年度开发者活动，这是一个对AI发展现状进行评估的好时机。微软、Meta和谷歌的云部门都向开发者们说明了为什么他们的技术平台值得关注，而AI的实力是其核心。
“We are at a tipping point” for the technology, claimed Google chief executive Sundar Pichai. Not to be outdone, his counterpart at Microsoft, Satya Nadella, called this “a real inflection point”. The claims did not sound new, but the extent to which AI now suffuses many of their products and services was evident.
谷歌首席执行官桑达尔·皮查伊(Sundar Pichai)称，这项技术“正处于一个转折点”。微软的萨蒂亚•纳德拉(Satya Nadella)也不甘示弱，称这是“一个真正的拐点”。这些说法听起来并不新鲜，但AI现在在他们的许多产品和服务中广泛应用的程度是显而易见的。