The son of an engineer and a math educator, Hassan Taher grew up in a technologically advanced family that stressed the supreme importance of STEM education. He quickly began using his imagination to build on this educational bedrock. Through his early love for the science fiction of visionaries like Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov, he became a budding futurist who saw great things for the integration of technology into the future of society and the daily lives of its ordinary citizens.
As a computer science student at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas), Taher became engrossed in the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) in depth and actively participated in the campus Artificial Intelligence Club. After graduation, he began working as a writer for a variety of prominent tech industry publications, authoring articles on AI, its future, and its impact on society.
Hassan Taher went on to author several influential books including The Rise of Intelligent Machines, AI and Ethics: Navigating the Moral Maze, and The Future of Work in an AI-Powered World. He is also the founder and head of his own successful tech consultancy under the name Taher AI Solutions. Under Taher’s direction, AI Solutions has earned a positive reputation for its dedication to the ethical and responsible use of AI and its impact on AI research and development (R&D) that stresses risk management.
Outside of the professional arena, Hassan Taher is a dedicated family man. He fell in love with his wife, Sarah, while attending UT Dallas. The couple has both a son named Adam and a daughter named Leila. As a family, the Tahers travel widely to investigate new human cultures and stunning natural wonders. As they explore new cities and parks, both domestically and abroad, Hassan Taher loves to document their adventures with his camera.
Viewing his private life through the lens of his professional life, Taher places an incredibly high value on what he calls the “digital family” and the responsible and sensible integration of AI into home life. “In our daily lives, the quiet seep of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been reshaping the way families talk, learn, and unwind together,” he writes. “As AI grows and morphs, it’s carving out fresh paths that promise to spruce up family life with a mix of ease and exciting new twists. Yet, this tech boon isn’t without its snags, especially when it comes to keeping the essence of human touch alive amidst the hum of digital goings-on.”
The lead consumer technology writer for The New York Times, Brian X. Chen echoes this notion of the digital family as he draws a frankly amazing picture of the modern household driven by AI. After mentioning its capacity to act as a school tutor or research assistant, Chen goes on to discuss numerous other things that AI can accomplish around the home: “Weekly meal planning is a major chore, and gift giving can be daunting, with various birthdays and holidays throughout the year. And any adult who has read books for children knows that it can become repetitive, and the books aren’t always relatable to a child’s situation or growing pains.”
From electronic voice-over readers to AI-powered baby monitor cameras, babies in digital families are benefiting in incredible ways. Forbes contributor Annie Brown mentions Chatterbaby (a smartphone AI app that attempts to decipher newborn cries), Snoo, (an AI-equipped bassinet with calming features), and Nanit (an AI “nanny” that analyzes infant sleep patterns).
Beyond babies, kids of all ages (and moms and dads as well) stand to reap untold benefits from household AI. Business leader and portfolio entrepreneur Govindh Jayaraman describes how AI can help families share bonding experiences (for example, the streaming service AI that recommends a movie that the whole family can enjoy), coordinate family activities (for example, the virtual assistant that uses AI to help manage everyone’s schedules), and promote family health (for example, the AI-powered fitness watches that track everyone’s wellness data). Jayaraman also praises AI for its ability to help families overcome specific challenges, such as video chat platforms with AI real-time translation for bilingual families and AI predictive text/voice recognition for family members with hearing or speech impairments.
Of course, families must approach the integration of AI with significant caution. Among other dangers, Hassan Taher warns against “letting tech edge out face-to-face bonds” and recommends setting healthy boundaries when it comes to using any digital device or platform. He also stresses the importance of encouraging critical thinking and prioritizing emotional intelligence in family interactions, both with and without AI. This means critically evaluating all information and emphasizing activities that foster empathy, understanding, and compassion. “The crux of the matter is finding a savvy balance,” writes Taher, “using AI in ways that boost family ties, not fray them.”
When used intelligently and with a healthy dose of human intuition and feeling, AI holds tremendous promise when it comes to strengthening family connections and interactions. In his examination of the advantages enjoyed by the digital family, Hassan Taher discusses AI-driven virtual reality (VR) applications that “offer immersive experiences, from virtual travel to interactive learning environments, that can bring families together in adventure and discovery, creating lasting memories.”
Taher also considers the various ways in which AI can be used as a tool for personal growth and support. “Families can also explore educational games and apps together, turning learning into a collaborative and enjoyable activity” he writes. “This not only aids academic achievement but also fosters a culture of curiosity and lifelong learning within the family unit.”
Through educational initiatives and other support services, AI supports family members that have aged far beyond childhood and even young parenthood. Hassan Taher points out the many ways that AI has provided exceptional value to elderly family members who want to maximize their independence and find appropriate facilitating care. “Reminder systems for medication, virtual assistants capable of performing a range of tasks, and health monitoring applications ensure seniors can maintain a degree of autonomy while staying closely connected with their families” reports Taher. “This not only enhances their quality of life but also provides peace of mind to the family caregivers, reinforcing the intergenerational bond.”
Ultimately, Hassan Taher concludes that AI offers remarkable possibilities for the enrichment of family life as long as we approach AI in a way that reinforces rather than weakens the spirit of family bonds. “By approaching AI with mindfulness and a commitment to preserving human connections,” he writes, “families can harness the best of technology while safeguarding the warmth and depth of their relationships.
