Artificial Intelligence creates jobs, not eliminate them: Study

There are many misconceptions about the impact artificial intelligence (AI) is having on the enterprise, that it could become so advanced that it threatens humanity, said an artificial intelligence provider Narrative Science. However, through its “2015 State of Artificial Intelligence & Big Data in the Enterprise Report”, Narrative Science “aims to set the story straight.” The report, surveys 200 respondents, including chief executives, data scientists, and managers, about the impact of AI on the enterprise world, highlighted that majority of these professionals see AI as an opportunity than rather than a threat. [caption id=“attachment_261442” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] Despite AI’s reputation as a potential threat to jobs, 80 percent of survey respondents noted that they believe AI improves worker performance and creates jobs. “As opposed to replacing workers, organisations are leveraging AI for machine learning, automated customer communications, data-driven reporting and business decision making,” Narrative Science stated in its report. Of all executives surveyed, 58 percent reported using Big Data technologies in their enterprise. Findings showed that organisations using AI-powered solutions in addition to Big Data technologies are best able to maximise their data. Fifty-nine percent of companies that use AI and Big Data technologies together are measurably better at turning data into information that can be used to solve business problems, the report found. Though enterprises are beginning to implement AI technologies, people still think of AI in many different ways. When asked how they define AI, 31 percent of respondents said it is “technology that thinks and acts like humans.” 25 percent saw it as technology that can learn to do things better over time, followed by technology that can understand language (7%), and technology that can answer questions for me (4%). When asked about the most important benefit that AI should deliver to an enterprise, 44 percent said it is “automated communications that provide data that can be used to make decisions.” Plenty of enterprises are already using AI in conjunction with Big Data technologies. According to the survey, 58 percent already have AI-powered solutions deployed. Of those respondents, 32 percent said voice recognition and response solutions are their organisations’ most widely used AI technologies. Organisations are using AI for a variety of additional purposes: Machine learning (24%), Virtual personal assistants (15%), Systems used for decision support (8%), Automated written reporting and/or communications (5%), Analytics-focused applications (5%), and Robotics (4%). The highest percentage of respondents (49 percent) said they use AI for “automated communications providing business audiences with data they can use to make effective decisions.” Nearly 14 percent reported using AI to deliver automated communications as well, but with the goal of providing consumer audiences with data they can use to make effective decisions. Remaining respondents are using AI in many ways, including automated data-driven  reporting, monitoring and alerts regarding the health of their businesses, and to eliminate repetitive, time- consuming manual processes. When asked about the benefits of Big Data, 31 percent said that its primary benefit is “providing information that improves decision making.” But when it comes to how to manage and analyse Big Data, there is little consensus. Thirty-one percent say that data visualisation apps are “the most widely used data management and analytics technology used within their organisation today;" 23 percent reported that business intelligence apps were the most widely used, while 21 percent said apps built on Big Data platforms such as Hadoop were used most frequently. Of the organisations using AI and Big Data technologies together, 59 percent believe they are “highly effective” at turning data into information that can be used to solve business problems. In comparison, just 47 percent of organisations that employ Big Data technology without AI consider themselves highly effective. Fifty-three percent of organisations that use Big Data technology but not AI technology indicate that they are “not effective” to only “moderately effective.” “At 80 percent, the overwhelming majority of enterprise respondents welcome AI. The largest percentage of respondents recognise that AI will be used to assist workers, not replace them. Though AI is capable of more, findings suggests that enterprises are aware of the potential business benefits of having consistent, on-demand information that improves decision making. According to the survey findings, embracing AI will help to achieve this goal,” the report concluded.