| Date | November 2020 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 20N.1.SL.TZ0.4 |
| Level | SL | Paper | 1 | Time zone | no time zone |
| Command term | Identify | Question number | 4 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Your personal avatar
SBE Cruise Lines is implementing new IT systems using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance passenger experiences. Recently, the company equipped its ships with touch screens where passengers can interact with their own customizable 3D avatar. Passengers wear a bracelet on their wrist, and their 3D avatar appears on touch screens as they walk around the ship (see Figure 5).
Figure 5: A passenger interacting with the avatar
The bracelet tracks a passenger’s location on the ship using thousands of sensors, and this data is constantly synchronized with that passenger’s data stored in the cloud. This may include their photo, room number or passport information.
To improve the passenger experience, the avatar developers update the IT systems on the cruise ship every night. To ensure that the IT updates are completed, George Smith, the project manager, must communicate with a number of stakeholders.
George believes that, to make the best improvements, the avatar developers should observe the passengers’ real-time interactions with the system.
Identify two stakeholders that George, the project manager, must consult before implementing the IT updates.
Identify two sensors that the passenger’s bracelet may use.
Identify two types of machine learning used by artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
Explain why the avatar developers would create avatars that do not look like humans.
Explain why George believes the avatar developers should observe the passengers’ real-time interactions with the system.
Matt Earle, the CEO of SBE Cruise Lines, has been investigating using artificial intelligence (AI) systems to track passengers and suggest activities they may wish to take part in when they interact with the touch screens on the ship. Some of his colleagues have concerns about taking this approach.
To what extent should Matt rely on the recommendations from the AI system to suggest activities to passengers?
Markscheme
Answers may include:
- Programmers
- Developers or avatar developers
- Information systems manager
- End users
Award [1] for identifying each stakeholder up to [2 max].
Answers may include:
- Motion
- Proximity
Award [1] for identifying each sensor, up to a maximum of [2].
Answers may include:
- Supervised
- Unsupervised
- Reinforcement
Award [1] for identifying each type of machine learning, up to a maximum of [2].
Answers may include:
- The avatar developers were concerned that the avatar may fall into the uncanny valley;…
- this may trigger unwanted reactions from the users of the avatar…
- who may feel it detracts from the usefulness of the avatar / might lead to passengers not using the system.
Award [1] for identifying a reason why the avatar developers would create the avatars so they do not look like humans and [1] for each subsequent development of that reason up to a maximum of [3].
Answers may include:
- Observation allows for the developer to see exactly how the passengers would interact with the avatar.
- Observation gives more detail than would be gathered from other techniques, such as questionnaires or interviews.
- Observation does not rely on the passenger trying to remember what happened (either during an activity or after).
Award [1] for identifying a reason why the avatar developers should observe the passengers' real-time interactions with the system and [1] for each subsequent development of that reason up to a maximum of [3].
Answers may include:
Reasons why Matt should rely on the recommendations from the AI system:
- The recommendations are likely to be based on the greatest data set possible and use data analytics techniques: real-time interactions, etc. (systems).
- The use of data analytics techniques / AI should mean that they will be appropriate for individual cruise ship passengers – customized for each passenger based on data.
- Can create a unique experience for passengers – recommended activities, etc.
- Can provide changes to passenger experience quicker than if done without AI (systems).
Reasons why Matt should not rely on the recommendations from the AI system:
- The recommendations may not be sufficiently customized to each passenger’s need if enough data is not collected (systems).
- The AI system may be expensive – the increased amount of customer satisfaction may not be sufficient to justify this cost.
- There may be particular characteristics of the passengers that the AI system may not be able to understand (systems).
- This may be a gimmick and an example of technological determinism (values, ethics).
In part (c) of this question it is expected there will be a balance between the terminology related to digital systems and the terminology related to social and ethical impacts.
Keywords: leisure, data, trust, judgement, values, ethics, anonymity, privacy, monitoring, algorithm, change, systems, power
Refer to SL/HL paper 1, part c markbands when awarding marks. These can be found under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials > Digital society markbands and guidance document.
Examiners report
Syllabus sections
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21M.1.SL.TZ0.4a.i:
In addition to a voice sensor, identify two sensors that would be found in Pepper.
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19M.1.SL.TZ0.3a.i:
In addition to adaptable font size, identify two features of the e-voting graphical user interface (GUI) that could be customized to make it accessible for all voters.
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19M.2.SL.TZ0.4:
To what extent do you agree that the advantages of implanting microchips in humans outweigh the concerns? Use all the sources and your own knowledge.
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22M.1.SL.TZ0.2a.i:
Identify three sensors that may be used to detect data about the weather conditions.
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21N.1.HL.TZ0.6:
Smart warehouse
Greenwood Industries’ warehouse uses a smart storage solution for the picking of products from the shelves of the warehouse. Robots are used in this automated picking process.
Currently, these robots are programmed to access a knowledge base* that enables these robots to use the most efficient route for the picking of products.
Greenwood Industries claims the picking process would be improved if the expert system was replaced by an artificial neural network (ANN).
Discuss whether Greenwood Industries should replace the existing system with one that uses an artificial neural network (ANN).
* knowledge base: a set of rules that are manually input into an expert system.
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20N.1.SL.TZ0.3c:
The development of mobile health apps has changed the way citizens manage their own health and well-being.
Discuss whether citizens like Jaime should rely only on the advice of a health app to manage their own health and well-being.
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18M.3.HL.TZ0.3:
The students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) want to be included in school activities and have appropriate access to the curriculum.
The two interventions influence a student’s identity in the classroom.
Evaluate the impact of educational digital technologies, such as social robots and assistive technologies, on the identity of students with SEND in Tayton School.
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17N.1.SL.TZ0.4a.i:
Identify two sensors that Robbi could use.
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18N.1.HL.TZ0.5:
App or intuition?
Apps have been developed that allow a customer to submit a trip request to a taxi company on their smartphone. These apps allow the customer to select the starting point and final destination of the journey as well as add other information, such as the time of journey and number of passengers.
The developers of the taxi journey app claim it can capture the real-time details of a journey, including the starting point, route, distance travelled, the speed of the car and the final destination. The app integrates this information with real-time traffic information, such as closed roads or accidents. Fares can be estimated before the journey, and the customer can pay digitally with their credit card or by PayPal.
Some traditional taxi drivers in cities such as Paris and Rio de Janeiro have campaigned against the introduction of these apps in taxi companies. Based on previous journeys recorded by the app, the taxi company recommends that their taxi drivers rely on the taxi journey app rather than their own knowledge of the city when determining the best route.
Discuss whether the taxi driver should rely on the taxi journey app, rather than their own knowledge of the city, when determining the best route.
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18M.1.HL.TZ0.5:
Can digital technologies be used sustainably?
Many organizations claim that the most efficient use of information technology (IT) equipment, such as laptops and printers, is to replace them on a regular basis. For example, an organization’s strategy may be to do this every three years.
Other organizations purchase IT equipment that can easily be upgraded by increasing the storage and memory or upgrading the processing capabilities only when required. They claim they do not need to replace their IT equipment on such a regular basis and believe this is a more sustainable practice.
Evaluate the sustainability of these two strategies.
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19N.1.SL.TZ0.3b:
There are two possible methods for ensuring students use the TailorEd online learning system responsibly. They are:
- restricting access to sites that may be considered inappropriate
- educating the students about acceptable use.
Analyse these two methods.
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19M.3.HL.TZ0.2a:
Explain how Miketon Town Council could encourage its citizens to use the ride-sharing app.
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18M.3.HL.TZ0.4:
With reference to the stimulus material and your own inquiries, recommend whether Tayton School should use social robots and/or assistive technologies to ensure students with SEND can be further integrated into the school.
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19M.3.HL.TZ0.1b:
Identify two characteristics of ride-sharing apps that have made them popular
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19M.1.SL.TZ0.1a.i:
Identify two characteristics of a haptic interface.
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19M.1.HL.TZ0.5:
How to appropriately interact in an online environment
Increasing numbers of parents are claiming digital technologies that monitor online activities are the best way to protect their children from offensive content. A number of companies, such as mSpy and Qustodio, have developed online monitoring apps.
Other parents claim it is not necessary to monitor their children’s online behaviour, preferring to encourage their children to develop the knowledge and skills to make appropriate choices.
Parents can consider two different interventions to ensure their children use the online environment appropriately:
- Monitor their children’s online behaviour using apps
- Encourage their children to develop the knowledge and skills to use the online environment and make appropriate choices.
With reference to real-life scenarios, evaluate these two interventions.
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21N.1.SL.TZ0.1a.i:
Identify two hardware devices that Rajesh could use to view his internet protocol television (IPTV) channels.
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21N.1.HL.TZ0.5:
Smart farming
A government in East Africa is using the expertise of scientists at a university in the region to promote the culture of smart farming and increase the productivity of farmers (see Figure 5). To do this, they have developed an app that the farmers can use to assist them in their decision-making.
Figure 5: An example of farming in East Africa
[Palmer, N., 2010. A farmer at work in Kenya’s Mount Kenya region [image] [online] Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2DU_Kenya_86_(5367322642).jpg (CC BY-SA 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en [Accessed 18 May 2020].]
Unfortunately, the scientists who developed the app have received many complaints from farmers who have been unable to use it. They are considering two options:
- making the existing system more user-friendly
- educating the farmers to use the existing system.
The scientists claim by making changes to the app it will make the app more user-friendly for the farmers. However, the farmers claim it would be better to provide them with education, such as training, so they can use the existing app.
Evaluate these two claims.
