Bohumil Kolář: Artificial intelligence opens up new job opportunities

Bohumil Kolář applies artificial intelligence in places where ordinary people can hardly imagine it. We talked about how AI makes work easier, how construction kit Mercur continues to inspire a hundred years after its creation, and beer cups whose meaning will blow your mind.

I'm taking pictures of Bohumil with the computer. "And now I'm going to take a picture of you with neural networks," I say mischievously. "Well, we have some graphic simulation, so I can send it to you," Bohumil replies with hesitation. I can see that my sense of humor is off, so I'm getting insecure with the conversation. ChatGPT is now an integral part of my life, but what's behind it, I don't know. And Bohumil knows, he's an AI expert.

TUL CXI: Bohumil Kolář

Sometimes I'm lazy

And what does Bohumil use ChatGPT for? "Sometimes I'm just lazy," Bohumil admits. "The AI saves me hours of reading," he says with a guilty smile. "Sometimes I copy a long text into ChatGPT and ask it to summarize it in two paragraphs. Why? Because I don't always have the desire or time to read anything longer than two pages," he explains candidly.

Bohumil found out about the AI Specialist position at CXI TUL when he was looking for a job after school. "For example, I was offered a job developing a cable car control system, which is not interesting for me. Then I found an offer from CXI TUL and I'm happy, I often learn new things. I enjoy challenges. For example, I am working on an AI application for laser calibration," he shrugs. The aforementioned laser has many applications, for example from eye surgery, through brute force cutting to space research and defense systems.

It started with Mercur

Bohumil was a fan of the construction kit Merkur as a kid, but he was missing something to get the kit moving. So he became interested in electrical engineering. He soon discovered that there was always a need for a man to program everything. "I'm not really a programmer, I've always been attracted to the interdisciplinary field, the connection with electrical engineering. Now, for example, I'm tackling business efficiency with artificial intelligence in the European Digital Innovation Hub, EDIH."

Real problems, practical solutions

Businesses from across the spectrum of industries turn to Bohumil directly or attend training sessions where he shows them the possibilities of AI to streamline operations. "For example, Škoda approached us about vibrodiagnostics. The brief was to see if we could predict when an engine would break down. My job was to teach AI to recognize the vibration of a balanced engine and detect deflections such as bearing float, unbalance, and so on. Based on this data, they can prevent failures and maintain production quality," Bohumil recounts.

Image analysis of wastewater

One of the most interesting contracts is the detection of problems at wastewater treatment plants. "My job is to teach the program to recognize what a poorly working treatment plant looks like. For example, foaming water means an overgrowth of microorganisms. Color changes can indicate a different type of problem. Camera detection is fast and efficient, and you don't have to physically go around to all the treatment plants," he says.

TUL CXI: Bohumil Kolář (Artificial intelligence opens up new job opportunities)

AI and Beer cups

And what does Bohumil have on his desk besides his computer? "Lots of beer cups," he laughs. One of his apps detects whether you have an honest pint in front of you or under measurement.

The audience immediately thinks: nice, but what is it good for? "The same algorithm can detect a tank and guide a missile. Maybe in Ukraine," Bohumil answered laconically. It shows that even a seemingly innocent AI application can be a weapon.

Revolution

The rapid development of artificial intelligence is a challenge for Bohumil. "The pace at which AI is growing is insane," he says. "New algorithms and technologies are being created every day. Sometimes I must understand how a certain technology works, only to find out a year later that it's already outdated. The world's largest organizations are rapidly pushing the boundaries of AI. Guessing the direction of development and keeping track is a big challenge."

AI gives work

From engineering to natural sciences, Bohumil sees no limits to artificial intelligence. "The only problem is the lack of data to train the models." Many people argue that AI is taking jobs. Bohumil sees it differently. “Automation opens up opportunities for more work."

It is important to show that AI is a tool. "It is not a threat. It depends on how we use it," concludes Bohumil.

TUL CXI: Bohumil Kolář (Artificial intelligence opens up new job opportunities)