UPSC Prelims 2020 GS Paper I · Q38 / 97 General Science medium

With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following ? 1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units 2. Create meaningful short stories and songs 3. Disease diagnosis 4. Text-to-Speech Conversion 5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy Select the correct answer using the code given below :

  1. (a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
  2. (b) 1, 3 and 4 only ✓ UPSC's answer
  3. (c) 2, 4 and 5 only
  4. (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Why the answer is (b)

• As of 2020, AI could effectively cut electricity use in industrial units (1) — for example, DeepMind's control system reduced Google data-centre cooling energy by about 40% — diagnose diseases from scans and records (3), and convert text to speech (4).

• Item 2 is not accepted: in 2020 AI could generate text and music, but not reliably 'meaningful' short stories and songs.

• Item 5 is wrong: wireless transmission of electrical energy is a physics and engineering technology (induction, resonance, microwaves), not something AI does.

• UPSC's official answer key gives (b).

• Hence 1, 3 and 4 only, option (b).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
Items 2 and 5 are not accepted, and text-to-speech (4) is left out.
(c) 2, 4 and 5 only
Items 2 and 5 are not accepted; energy saving and diagnosis are left out.
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Items 2 and 5 are not accepted by the official key.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2020, held on 4 October 2020. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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