AI now Serves as Your Lawyer, Helps Deliver Your Food, and Finds the Perfect Therapist

AI is poised to drive the world economy in the near future. Here are three practical services that AI is already conducting.

According to a recent report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), AI is expected to contribute an additional $15.7 trillion USD to the global economy by 2030. The global GDP will increase 14% by 2030 thanks to the productivity gains generated by AI technologies and the increase in consumer demand.

But before we get to that, AI is already making breakthroughs in the providing of many important services–even those thought to be too difficult for AI to handle.

AI now Serves as Your Lawyer

Nobody likes a parking fine slapped on their windshield.

To avoid the time and costs of contesting the fine, many people end up just paying it. However, a new AI solution can assess the validity of an appeal and write a strongly worded letter for you.

While legal professions seem among the least likely to be automated, Joshua Browder, a Stanford English student, made news last year with his robot-lawyer.

Called DoNotPay, Browder’s bot is able to appeal parking fines inflicted unfairly as a real lawyer. DoNotPay has made big impact, having defeated 375,000 parking tickets over two years, saving people an estimated $9.3 million USD.

Beginning in the U.K., DoNotPay is now available in 50 U.S. states, upgraded to include 1,000 areas of law and localized service.

Apart from parking fines, Joshua–whose grandmother is a Holocaust survivor–is also proposing DoNotPay for refugees seeking to claim asylum.

AI to Optimize Food Delivery

The market for food delivery is promised a bright future.

According to a study published by Rocket Internet, it is expected to reach $90 billion USD by 2019.

Founded in 2013, DoorDash is a food delivery startup which offers Internet users the opportunity to have meals from nearby restaurants in less than an hour. Once ordered from the app, or on the website, the customer follows the progress of their order in real time on a map. Seems pretty standard, right?

What’s more, however, is that DoorDash developed an AI software to smooth out the process of food delivery.

Currently present in over 300 cities across the U.S. and Canada, the DoorDash AI:

• matches restaurants with clients,
• considers customers needs, such as dietary restrictions,
• updates restaurants menus, and
• helps drivers navigate for faster delivery.

AI Enables Alternatives to Face-to-Face Therapy

Ensuring anonymity and maximum flexibility, online therapy allows people to consult a therapist anytime, anywhere, get quick answers to their demands, and feel real support on a daily basis.

Many “e-therapy” platforms have emerged in recent years, among them BetterHelp, the self-proclaimed largest e-counseling platform in the world.

Within 24 hours or less after the user signs up, BetterHelp’s system would take into account their objectives, preferences, and the type of issues they’re facing to find the best match among thousands of licensed therapists.

However, if the user is not satisfied for whatever reason, they can ask to change the therapist.

Users and therapists communicate via emails, live chat, over the phone, or video conferencing. Expect to pay anywhere between $35 to $70 USD per week to get unlimited access to BetterHelp counselors.

Machine intelligence helps us connect with ideal services and ideal service providers. What’s the next best practical application of AI?