As technology continues to infuse itself into our daily lives, we are faced with certain realities that have previously existed only in science fiction novels and movies. One such technology which has often been vilified in works of fiction is the concept of Artificial Intelligence, or AI. It is great fodder for storylines, as machines that no longer have to obey their creators (humans) work to destroy people with or without provocation as if it is an inevitability. This is obviously a deterrent for many to pursue--or in other cases allow--the pursuit of this technology. However, robots that seek the destruction of mankind do not have to be the inevitable conclusion.
Using AI in the world of business is a great way to showcase the benefits of technology. For example, decisions are often made by company managers that are based on data that has to be interpreted and modeled against patterns. Being able to recognize these patterns and interpret them to create a best-case scenario based on the current dataset is a huge skill that AI software could bring to the table. It is why pattern-oriented software and big data have been merging over the past decade. These types of decisions enhance the manager's decision-making ability.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Another example is a mergers and acquisition manager who is trying to determine acquisition options for a new company direction. This could take weeks or even months of detailed research on hundreds of companies across the world, vetting them on any number of specific criteria. For an AI assistant, much of this could be automated, leaving the manager with the job of triaging what the software assistant approved to find the perfect match.
These examples are helpful for decision making, but AI could excel at assisting with time intensive tasks. For example, a researcher may spend weeks sifting through information for specific context. Having an AI software assistant could cut that time down to days, or possibly even hours, with the ability to analyze patterns and use integrated systems in the cloud to pull information while the researcher analyzes the data even further.
These are just a few simple ways AI can benefit us in the future. These are entirely possible scenarios given the sophisticated software architectures, big data integrations and pattern-oriented software we are already seeing in the market. It doesn't have to be scary. It doesn't mean we will have evil overlord robots, either. It means using technology to enhance our own abilities so we can push our intelligence level beyond what we have dreamed.