No Surprise, AI Is Advancing Very Quickly

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of those monikers that we’ve extended to most machine learning technologies nowadays. Over the past few years, however, AI has made huge strides in industry, providing a level of automation that simply wasn’t possible previously. Couple in the massive benefits that organizations can see through AI-driven data insights and it is truly a transformative technology. This week, we’ll take a look at AI and unpack just how fast it is evolving. 

What Is AI?

Most people have seen the “AI” in movies and television that quickly becomes sentient and wreaks havoc. This characterization of AI is mostly the result of science fiction writers who took artistic licenses with the capabilities of machines that eventually break free of their digital shackles and find humanity their enemy. There have been recent leaks about the US Air Force trying to rein in its AI controls after it identified the operator as the enemy, but they have been denied by the U.S. Department of Defense. That is a discussion for another time. 

The AI that is used in business is largely built for automation. You see, businesses are always looking for the most efficient and effective ways to do business, and a lot of the tools that are being developed today are using some type of machine learning to help automate tasks that would typically slow down systems. 

Let’s take a look at some of the ways businesses are using AI-fueled automation:

Improving Customer Experiences

Obviously, a business won’t be in business long unless it meets the need of a dedicated consumer base. In this competitive vacuum, having tools that can help identify and push forward better customer-based experience is crucial to the success of the endeavor. The number one use thus far, because of its general affordability and ease to implement is using ChatBot technology. This removes the need for a lot of human support and these platforms learn as they go, so they can more effectively meet customers' needs. 

Improving Business Knowledge

Using AI for business processes is a relatively new idea, but there can be some major benefits. The major uses are for process automation and to find efficiencies in production processes. It does this by collecting the data that is generated by operations and providing insights on how to alter processes and strategies to get more traction. Aggregation is just one facet that is being used. Some businesses are using AI for predictive analysis, trying to map how things will go with different strategies. Overall, AI is helping businesses make better decisions by taking it out of the hands of variable opinions and using more data-driven decision-making.

How Fast is AI Advancing?

As useful as these tools are for business, the development of this technology is growing too fast according to many industry leaders. The more the demand for this technology fuels its development, the more that people are losing control over the technology. There are many instances where AI tools are developing too fast, since it can pour through more data in minutes than people can over years. This leaves humans actually trying to rein in the technology.

Some of the concerns people are having with AI include:

• AI-fueled automation creates problems for organizations to keep workers.
• Making workers depend too much on technology and are less productive.
• Information that is unreliable being shared because of the prevalence of it.
• A complete lack of oversight.
• The creation of dangerous malware.

AI has a long way to go before it is what it’s going to be, but if the technology is able to be controlled, it can be a major benefit to society. If you would like to learn more about AI and how it can work for your business, give the IT professionals at Horne & Benik a call at (603) 499-4400.