Unlock your data with Artificial Intelligence. “You need an AI strategy!”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly powerful and pervasive tool that is transforming industries across the globe, helping businesses deliver better outcomes.

 Technologies based on AI, large volumes of data, and machine learning are fast becoming an essential part of our daily lives. This is no longer the future, but a reality that is already here.

 These days, the question is not if, but when AI will be used to automate a new task, a process or a simulation, as organisation are showing an ever-increasing willingness to embrace and experiment with this technology.

 Research shows AI pilot projects and experimentation are now prolific across South African companies, with 46% of local organisations saying they are already actively piloting AI within their organisations.

 This is according to the recent AI Maturity Report in South Africa, commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by Ernst & Young. The report found that South Africa’s overall investment in AI is significant, with $1.6 billion invested over the past decade.

 It also found that 96% of local businesses expect to gain significant financial benefits by using AI solutions to optimise their operations, with enterprises experimenting with a range of different technologies, including chatbots, robotic process automation and advanced analytics.

 Some 67% of South African organisations pinpointed machine learning as the AI technology that is most useful to them, followed by smart robotics and biometrics.

 However, because AI is still an emerging technology, it’s not all plain sailing. As many companies are just starting to develop an AI strategy, CIOs face a number of key challenges related to exploring and adopting this technology:

 ·        We lack the skills to adopt AI, and the expertise to get actionable insights from all of our data;

·        We need our data science teams to get access to the data, build models, and deliver business outcomes – faster;

·        We need to ensure our data and AI models are secure by protecting AI systems and their communication for user’s safety and privacy;

·        We need highly scalable infrastructure that’s optimized for AI and machine learning; and

·        We need to control costs and mitigate unpredictable capacity as we deploy and scale AI.

 Discussions around AI need to take place at all levels of business and organisations should seek an experienced and suitable partner that can offer customers a variety of solutions for their business needs based on three pillars: Best in class people, technology and a rich partner ecosystem, which make it possible to deliver AI solutions at scale.

 In terms of people, the right partner should have access to data scientists and AI advisors that support strategic global AI, memory-driven computing and analytics deals.

 From a technology perspective, your partner should provide integrated AI solutions that leverage a comprehensive portfolio of servers, storage, software and services that are integrated and simply work “better together”.

 A partner ecosystem will provide access to an established, global AI ecosystem of Independent Software Vendors (ISV), integrators and technology partners for strategic planning and performance optimisation in your industry.

 The main driving force for using AI in business is competitor advantage, with many organisations taking up AI technology to reduce operational costs, increase efficiency, grow revenue and improve customer experience.

 For the greatest benefits, businesses should look at adding the full range of smart technologies – including machine learning, natural language processing and more – into their processes and products.

 There isn’t just one good AI strategy – there are many. It is up to every company to look at exactly what they want to achieve and where they want to go through their AI journey.