5 IT Trends that will shape the next 5 years (Part 5): Enterprise AI

For a long time the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) has been moving minds as it inspires fantasies and stokes fears. The step from machine intelligence to notably AI has caused the first entertaining and practical applications. This year, AI is starting to make an impact in entire companies, representing another significant leap: from individual to company-wide use.

Enterprise AI

Having spent years in academic recesses, AI is now experiencing a new, unprecedented phase of innovation and growth. Significant reasons for this development are the pretty much unlimitedly available and flexible computing power (Cloud Computing), huge data volumes as a foundation of model development and training (Big Data), and new, immensely powerful processes and frameworks (technology). AI is about to become a significant factor in the future competitiveness and profitability of companies.

The foundation of this shift is provided by machine learning, which, as the core technology of AI, is becoming increasingly established within companies. The combination of computer power, data volumes and algorithms is driving data exploration and automated data processing in areas that were previously unachievable with manpower and old technology alone. AI is leaving the lab (proofs of concept) and entering standard operation processes.

A barrier to this transition that can already be identified is the operationalization and the ability to operationalize of AI within company processes and products, including their maintenance and running. Comprehensive AI applications will need to be planned and tackled holistically. Drafting and implementing processes and routines, technology and system architecture, etc. go hand in hand.

Company-specific as well as sector-specific practices will be developed and effectively standardized in parts, ranging from the operation of AI solutions on dedicated hardware components to dynamically provisioned as-a-service solutions in a Multi Cloud.
The target for companies will be for products, systems and service models to be equally manageable, maintainable and supportable with AI as without it, despite the increased complexity. All processes and skills in the company need to and will function with AI in the future – and therefore will be smarter, more automated and more personalized.

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5 IT Trends that will shape the next 5 years (Part 1): Data Thinking

5 IT Trends that will shape the next 5 years (Part 2): Data Ethics

5 IT Trends that will shape the next 5 years (Part 3): Multi Cloud & Hybrid Cloud

5 IT Trends that will shape the next 5 years (Part 4): Cloud Security