Did you know that? Most people don’t, so there’s a fun little fact for you (here’s another one — it’s not ‘factoid’).
AI’s journey began in the 1950s with Alan Turing’s question, “Can machines think?” and the 1956 Dartmouth workshop where the term “artificial intelligence” was coined. The 1960s saw the rise of expert systems, but the 1970s brought the “AI winter” due to unmet expectations. The 1980s revived interest with machine learning and neural networks. Fast forward to the 2020s, AI is now a powerhouse, thanks to big data and advanced algorithms, it still hasn’t achieved human-like consciousness. Yet.
(And also no AI has been able to beat the Turing test despite erroneous headlines on the matter. Some are close though.)
It seems that nowadays, the mere mention of “AI” conjures up images of chatbots and text generators. While these are indeed fascinating applications (but honestly, making timesheet reminders using AI is getting very old), they barely scratch the surface of what AI truly encompasses. The hilarity and frustration captured in this very sweary article perfectly encapsulate my sentiments on the matter.
While I don’t condone violence, I very much appreciate the author’s sentiment. AI is so much more than just generative models, and it’s time we set the record straight. It’s like saying a car is just a steering wheel — sure, it’s an important part, but there’s a whole lot more under the hood.
As I delve deeper into the world of AI in wildland firefighting, I find myself constantly distilling the true challenges ahead of us. It’s not just about the algorithms; it’s about the entire ecosystem surrounding them.
Decision science, data collection, engineering, integrity, and the maturity of fire behaviour science and predictive capabilities all play crucial roles. It’s even down to where the AI platform is located — the cloud, yes, might be in the sky, but nobody owns the airspace in Australia, ergo we cannot locate our data there per Australian privacy laws on data sovereignty and residency requirements.
Yes, that was a joke. I am trying to Be Human™.
We can’t just slap an AI label on a product and expect it to work miracles. It requires a holistic understanding of how these components function together. It’s like trying to bake a cake with only flour — you need the right ingredients, in the right proportions, to create something truly delicious. Instead, with AI, it’s garbage in, garbage out… if the bins are even being collected.
One thing that’s becoming increasingly clear is that integrating AI into fire agencies is no small feat. Industry moves at a breakneck pace, developing products that often fail to address the unique concerns of government agencies. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Fire agencies have a responsibility to manage risks to human life, property, and the trust of the communities they serve. The “move fast and break things” mentality that works in Silicon Valley could translate to “move fast and kill people” in the context of emergency services.
This is why an abundance of caution is necessary when investigating new technologies. We can’t just throw caution to the wind and hope for the best — that’s like bringing a water pistol to a wildfire.
But there’s another issue at play: the funding of emergency services. Every dollar of public money must be accounted for, and rightfully so. However, this often puts pressure on emergency services to react rather than respond strategically.
There’s a significant delta between the pace of industry and the realities faced by emergency services. It’s crucial for these two worlds to work together, ensuring that solutions address the real issues faced by those on the front lines.
We can’t have whizz-bang products created by someone who’s never held a hose or set foot in an incident management team. It’s just not going to work, and yet there is an over-saturation of these start-ups trying to sell emergency services exactly that. But it’s not just startups, it’s everything including professional services and supply chain providers attempting to tweak other models into the emergency services world without realising the significant variables which set them apart.
Despite these challenges, the potential for AI to support human capability and capacity in emergency services is endless. This is precisely why I’ve taken on this project. Our emergency services deserve better. They deserve tools that enhance their decision-making, streamline their operations, and ultimately, help them save lives and protect communities. It’s not about replacing our firefighters on the front lines; it’s about giving them the edge they need to be safer, and more effective.
But for the love of all things, personal or health or unvalidated or speculative or erroneous data should not be used, and the black box should not go unquestioned and unchecked.
But let’s be clear: AI is not a magic wand. It’s not going to replace the expertise and experience of our firefighters and incident managers. Instead, it should augment their capabilities, providing them with insights and support to make better decisions in high-pressure situations. This requires a collaborative effort between industry, academia, and emergency services.
We need to bridge the gap, foster understanding, and work towards solutions that address the unique challenges faced by those on the front lines. Don’t try to build a house without an engineer and a peer reviewed and industry-audited blueprint — you need all the stakeholders at the table to create something that stands the test of time.
As we navigate this journey, let’s remember the true essence of AI. It’s not just about flashy demos and buzzwords. It’s about using the power of data, algorithms, and human expertise to solve real-world problems. It’s about enhancing our ability to make informed decisions, mitigate risks, and ultimately, save lives. It’s about giving our firefighters a tool that actually works — not just a shiny toy, but a tool that can make a real difference.
And who knows, maybe one day we’ll have AI-powered fire trucks that can put out flames with a single glance. But until then, let’s focus on the real work at hand. The journey ahead is not an easy one, but it is a necessary one. By taking a thoughtful, strategic approach to AI in wildland firefighting, we can harness its potential to save lives, protect property, and build more resilient communities.
Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work. Because at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.
Also if you wanted some fun from the horrors of the rental market, the world crying an impending climate disaster, and the rising rates of femicide in Australia, here is was what Playground generated for “bush fire truck”.
Methinks we’re not quite there yet.
