Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Analytics- My Weekend Reflections – Sept 21, 2024!

"It always seems impossible until it’s done." – Nelson Mandela

One of my proudest moments as a Professor was witnessing some of my analytics students —who have since gone on to successful careers at organizations like IBM, Meta (formerly Facebook), City of Kingston, and Vigorate —organize the Artificial Intelligence Conference in 2018. It was a major milestone for the AI Club, which they had founded just a year earlier. I remember how they faced numerous challenges, particularly when a required technical setup for the event seemed impossible. But rather than be deterred, they demonstrated incredible leadership, creativity, and resilience, finding innovative solutions and pulling off an unforgettable event.

That experience reminded me of the incredible power of collaboration, perseverance, and human ingenuity, even in an industry dominated by cutting-edge technology. As AI continues to grow in its impact across all sectors, I find myself reflecting on the vital role humans play in shaping its applications.

The future challenge for organizations and leaders is clear: how do we create a synergy between AI and human talent? How do we harness the unparalleled capabilities of machines while amplifying the creativity, empathy, and intuition that only people can bring to the table? Finding that balance will define the workplaces of tomorrow—and I’m excited to continue exploring how we can get it right.

The adoption of AI is accelerating across industries, and I believe there will come a time when discussing AI will feel as commonplace as talking about Office applications like MS Word. Here are a few news stories from this week that I’ve been reflecting on this weekend:

?Alibaba accelerates AI push

Alibaba has intensified its push into generative AI by launching over 100 new open-source AI models, as well as text-to-video technology, solidifying its position in this booming sector. The new models, part of Alibaba's Qwen 2.5 family, range from 0.5 to 72 billion parameters, supporting tasks like mathematics, coding, and multilingual capabilities. This hybrid model strategy contrasts with competitors like Baidu and OpenAI, who have focused on closed-source approaches. The company’s text-to-video model, part of its Tongyi Wanxiang family, aims to compete directly with global players such as OpenAI and ByteDance in the rapidly growing AI video generation space (Reuters) .

Adobe’s Upcoming Gen AI Tools

Adobe has unveiled its latest AI innovation, the Firefly "Video Model," designed to help creators generate short videos through text prompts and image-to-video animations. With this release, Adobe aims to support creators in producing compelling stories, unlike other models that focus on creating full-length films. The AI has two key components: "Text to Video" and "Image to Video," both set to roll out on the Adobe Firefly website later this year. A third tool, "Generative Extend," exclusive to Adobe Premiere Pro, will enhance video content by filling gaps between footage. Adobe emphasizes the "commercially safe" nature of its AI, trained on licensed or public domain content to address copyright concerns (ZDNet).

Lionsgate Partnership

Lionsgate has partnered with AI research firm Runway to utilize its vast film and TV library for training a new generative model, allowing filmmakers to augment their work with AI. This model, customized to Lionsgate's portfolio, including popular franchises like John Wick and The Hunger Games, aims to enhance pre- and post-production processes, including storyboarding, background scenery, and special effects. Lionsgate's vice-chair, Michael Burns, believes the deal could save the company millions. However, the partnership emerges amidst challenges for both Lionsgate’s underperforming films and Runway’s legal troubles over copyright infringement (The Guardian).

LinkedIn is training AI models on your data

LinkedIn has quietly opted users into a policy that allows their data to be used for training generative AI models. This was introduced with an updated privacy policy, stating that LinkedIn can use personal data to develop and improve AI models. Users can opt-out by navigating to their account settings under the "Data for Generative AI Improvement" tab and switching it off. However, any training already completed using their data remains unaffected. LinkedIn also offers a separate Data Processing Objection Form for opting out of non-generative AI processes like personalization and moderation. This change follows similar revelations from Meta regarding AI data usage (Verge).

HubSpot unveils Breeze, its ‘complete AI solution’

HubSpot has introduced Breeze, its new AI-powered solution, at the Inbound conference, aiming to provide businesses with a comprehensive AI platform. Breeze includes Copilot, an AI assistant with personas tailored for marketing, sales, and service, as well as four bots and over 80 new features designed to help marketers reach increasingly fragmented audiences. Notable updates include Breeze Intelligence, a data enrichment tool that adds valuable insights to CRM records, and Content Remix, which repurposes video content into blog posts, social media clips, and more. HubSpot is positioning Breeze as a simple yet powerful AI solution for businesses looking to streamline their operations and connect with customers across diverse channels (MarTech).

Amazon shopping experience

Amazon has introduced new generative AI tools to enhance the shopping experience for customers and sellers. Announced at the Amazon Accelerate event, these updates include personalized product recommendations based on users' shopping habits and preferences. Instead of showing similar items, Amazon will offer broader categories tailored to customer interests, such as holiday or sports-related products. For sellers, Amazon has launched an AI-powered video generator to create cost-effective marketing clips from product images. Additionally, Amazon’s new "Project Amelia" chatbot will help third-party sellers by providing personalized business insights and sales data. These updates reflect Amazon's push to catch up with competitors like Google and Meta in the generative AI space (The Verge).

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." – John Wooden

The impact of AI is undeniable, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you see AI evolving in your field. What excites you most, and what concerns you?

In Collaboration with 1MT Technical and Leadership Institute, I will also be launching a virtual AI in Business workshop in January 2025 with limited spots available for those interested in hands-on exposure to AI. The 1MT Technical and Leadership Institute is a not-for-profit organization committed to empowering young people across Africa by providing them with the vocational skills and knowledge necessary to excel as technical leaders. The institute adopts an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-first approach, combined with practical, hands-on training, to ensure that learners not only acquire cutting-edge technical skills but also develop a strong mindset, character, and leadership abilities. If you’d like more details or wish to sign up, feel free to email me at [email protected].

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