Is your business ready for artificial intelligence and IoT

Contributed Article
August 9, 2018 9:12 am

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data have been making big headlines for the last few years – and for good reason. The amount of data being generated climbs every year thanks to the estimated 20 billion connected devices we will see by the year 2020, which is only a little more than two years away. Fast forward to 2050 – we are looking at one trillion connected devices and things.

All that data – combined with advancements in processing and compute power, and cloud computing – has made artificial intelligence and machine learning innovation possible. These technologies are game-changers for machine automation and productivity. We are giving machines the ability to learn and think – just like we do as humans.

The devices, cars, and systems we rely on are getting smarter – with intelligence and compute power that can analyse data and patterns to help make informed decisions that lead to tangible business outcomes. Think about the last time you shopped online and that recommendation for an additional purchase was spot on, or your favorite music app served up the right song at the right time. How did they know?

These are simple examples, but what they have in common are systems that quickly make sense of data and patterns to predict what you need and want, when you need and want it. And for enterprise organisations – that is a huge competitive advantage when it comes to customer loyalty, engagement and satisfaction.

These advancements are more than 50 years in the making, with some of the world’s brightest minds and visionaries in history – from Alan Turing to Ray Kurzweil and Stephen Hawking – pushing the limits and philosophical debates on what is possible with algorithms and code.

And while the thought of singularity and AI-powered humanoids is fantastic science fiction and makes for great TV and movies – what I am most excited about is the way AI and machine learning are going to bring real business and personal value to our everyday lives right now, and in the future. By the time we hit 2030, we will be working alongside machines in ways we once only dreamed about. The way we learn, work, bank, commute – even how we experience the routine health check-up, all changes.

I also spend a lot of time thinking about how we take all those AI smarts and integrate them as part of the products and services that we deliver.

As a 30-year veteran, I have had a front-row seat to this evolution – but have not just watched. The collective businesses that make up Dell Technologies’ have anticipated the trends, and played a role in computing and data center innovation that now spans compute and processing, data, AI, machine learning and analytics to deliver an entire end-to-end IT infrastructure from the edge to the core to the cloud that makes Digital Transformation possible.

For instance:

Infrastructure solutions are getting smarter about data by learning from data. For example, we are bringing more autonomous storage capabilities into flash portfolio that can quickly make a decision about how and where data should be stored and protected based on its unique characteristics – critical when you think about the huge sets of data AI and machine learning are dependent upon.

We are going all in on IoT with a brand new division dedicated to helping our customers maximise their opportunity in the market with services, solutions and financing options. For instance, did you ever think you could make kale taste better and grow at scale in an urban warehouse through the power of analytics? Well, that is exactly what AeroFarms is doing with our edge computing solutions and VMware at the heart of their IT operation.

We are bringing AI-driven productivity to PC computing that uses machine learning and cognitive technologies to automatically set up the desktop experience based on what it has learned about the usage of that workstation and the necessary performance. And it learns over time, automatically adjusting every time a user logs in – driving speed in productivity and worker satisfaction.

We are changing how often you have to change that laptop battery with machine learning built right into the battery pack, firing up and down based on peak usage hours and activities. These are just a few of the ways to drive AI and machine learning evolution. Every day we are learning new things, and with the help of machine partners, the opportunities ahead are endless. And this is just the beginning of the conversation.

Key takeaways

  • For enterprise organisations, that is a huge competitive advantage when it comes to customer loyalty, engagement and satisfaction.
  • Devices, cars, and systems are getting smarter, with intelligence and compute power that can analyse data and patterns to help make informed decisions.
  • What I am most excited about is the way AI and machine learning are going to bring business and personal value to our everyday lives.
  • By the time we hit 2030, we will be working alongside machines in ways we once only dreamed about.
  • The way we learn, work, bank, commute, all changes.
  • We are going all in on IoT with a brand new division dedicated to helping our customers maximise their opportunity in the market.

Jeff Clarke, Vice Chairman, Products and Operations at Dell.

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