IOT, Machine Learning, Analytics, Cloud, AI - How much is hyped and how much is the "REAL" value !!

With over 17 years in IT industry and playing different roles as engineering student, software programer, business analyst, project manager, account manager, Founder, CEO, board member etc in both Silicon Valley and in "Developing" country; I am at loss to understand how much is the hype and how much is the real truth around the value these "buzzwords" : IOT, Machine Learning, Analytics, Cloud, AI etc. are creating in the realm of computer programming and for solving real life problems.

While I have immense respect for some of the great applications built around these "buzzwords", IMHO we are still continuing to solve the basic problems by writing more complex Computer Algorithms which we were anyways solving in early 2000 (ofcourse with much simpler context). When I talk to a new customer or a new start up - who is either looking for or building an awesome solution with IOT, AI, Cloud etc for a simple problem, I first ask - can this problem be solved effectively and efficiently with simple computer program with some good logic and right processes implemented without making it "overly" complex?

I am not against using these buzzwords, infact - that's how I have also positioned my startup - my only suggestion and request is not to make the problem more complex than "it is" just in the haste of ticking the "right" buzz words and charging customer more for the solution than "it's worth".

While technology innovation can not happen without "crazy" ideas, we should also objectively evaluate the value which will get created by adding these buzzwords.

Let's take 2 examples: (Disclaimer: these are just off my head and does not reflect my opinion about any solution which might be "actually" trying to solve these problems !!)

If someone needs to inculcate good "hygiene" habits amongst children such as washing hands with soap, brushing teeth two times a day - do we really need a complex, pricey and heavy solution with lots of sensors, prescriptive analytics in Cloud etc or we just need parents to be little more attentive to their kids !!

If someone needs to predict that the probability of a person likely developing a heart disease is more by 27.57% than his coworkers at work, do we really need to study his last 5 years health records, his DNA samples, his parents medical history, connect multiple sensors to track his daily routine etc. or we just need him to answer few simple questions about his lifestyle, identify weather he is type A or type B and write a simple algorithm to predict that the person has higher risk for heart disease and what lifestyle changes one can recommend.

I sincerely hope that in our haste to "tag along" with buzz words and raise funding or increasing our top line, we will not miss on the "magical value" these technologies: IOT, Cloud, Analytics, AI etc can actually create for our generation and for future generations to come. We need to identify and invest our time and energy into solving "REAL" and complex problems with the help of IOT, Cloud, Analytics and AI.