Collins Dictionary has designated “AI” (short for artificial intelligence) as the Word of the Year for 2023. According to Alex Beecroft, Collins Dictionary’s director, AI has been a significant focal point this year and has rapidly become deeply integrated into daily life, akin to once-novel technologies like email and streaming.
Collins analyzed their expansive database, the Collins Corpus, containing over 20 billion words from various sources such as written material from publications and spoken content from radio, television, and everyday conversations. Their editors continuously update this database monthly to track new words and their usage.
The choice of “AI” as the Word of the Year by Collins underscores the significant impact of artificial intelligence on today’s swiftly evolving world, particularly in driving innovation and change through the power of algorithms and data, as noted by OpenAI, the entity behind the AI Chatbot ChatGPT.
The public debut of ChatGPT in November 2022 brought the AI discussion to the forefront. Consequently, major tech companies have been racing to capitalize on the AI trend, introducing their AI chatbots and heavily investing in AI advancements. Companies like Google and Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) are actively incorporating AI into their products and services.
AI’s endless possibilities have sparked concern about regulation. Initiatives such as US President Joe Biden’s executive order on AI, alongside other nations proposing laws to protect users from AI-related risks, highlight the significance of regulating AI’s development. Moreover, the UK is hosting the first AI Safety Summit, gathering global leaders and tech experts to navigate the potential benefits of AI while minimizing potential risks.
