Surrounded by other car lines and aggressive aerodynamic a small two-seater and rounded shapes strangely friendly hurtling on a dusty road in Mountain View , California. No actual driver.
This is the last prototype of the “ Google Car “, autonomous car driven by a powerful software artificial intelligence . We are in May 2014 and more than the story of a car that drives itself, the news caused a sensation on the international newspapers because it underlines clearly and unequivocally that a great revolution is going to happen: that of artificial intelligence and machine thinking.
The progress of ‘ artificial intelligence have always provoked much discussion (an example? The voice recognition software or writing), but in recent years, something has really changed. We have realized it when suddenly the finest minds in the world have begun to express concern about the effects that artificial intelligence will have on our economy (and our lives) to short (Read also “How did the AI and it is not yet really smart”)
In January of this year Stephen Hawking , along with a handful of sizable other well-known scientists, signed an open letter that, unexpectedly, does not speak either astrophysics or mathematics. The letter without too many uncertain terms invites mankind to become aware of the ongoing revolution. In particular, the invitation is to take all countermeasures so that they manage to better the advent of artificial intelligence in our society. Read also: “ How did the AI and it is not yet really smart ”
Something is really changing then, but companies (especially Italian ones) are aware of?
Software of artificial intelligence, as an example of innovation from Nvidia imitate
Of course the face of large changes you recognize the big companies. They expect them, anticipate them and when the great wave finally arrives are there waiting, ready and aware of being among the first to take advantage of a new market. Like all great technological revolutions, even the artificial intelligence is having its precursors: Companies that years ago they predicted the big change and who have invested sweat and money into research, then waiting for the big wave. There are plenty. One of these is Nvidia: the company that makes video cards that allow our games to be so realistic. The leadership of Nvidia saw a big wave: the artificial intelligence software – remember the Google Car? – Can greatly benefit from the computing power of graphics cards.
And so, in a short time, the US company has launched a number of developments offering their cards as a solution to the enormous demand for power calculation of the latest artificial intelligence software. The result? At CES 2015 (the most important technology show in the world), the CEO of Nvidia, Jen-Hsun Huang, he has talked a lot about video games. It instead presented hardware solutions (graphics cards) specifically for artificial intelligence (also known as “AI”) and for autonomous vehicles. This is innovation.
Predictive analytics: not just for “big players”
While it is clear that something is happening, the other seems much less clear for businesses, especially Italian ones, how to turn this knowledge into strategy and then into action.
Many business functions can substantially increase the value of the product thanks to the latest technologies artificial intelligence but how?
One of the areas of greater contact between businesses and artificial intelligence is the “ Predictive Analytics “: the set of technologies used to perform analysis and weather automation . Generally, predictive analytics software analyzes the historical data of a company by learning from what has happened in the past, just like a human analyst, but with the ability to find relationships and recurring patterns in gigantic databases. A task often impossible for even the most experienced analyst. Here it becomes possible to predict in advance what customers are going to leave a company – perhaps to contact them before it’s too late. Or provide for the market response to the launch of a new product thanks to software that will prepare its prediction based on how past customers have responded to the launch of other products. And why not make these predictions to design products that customers love it more and more effective pricing? All this (and more) is already within reach not only for big players, but also small and medium companies through the software’s predictive analytics.
The challenge for companies between advanced analytics and smart machines. And in Italy?
For businesses there is, however, a big challenge to overcome: to integrate the application of technology of predictive analytics in sustainable projects and measurable results. Very often companies tend to delay investments in technology until the last minute, especially in times of crisis. Unfortunately, in the case of software predictive analytics this is not possible. Do not just buy a software, it is often necessary to review the way in which business data are collected, stored and updated. The maturation process of the company must be done gradually and in a sustainable manner. Many businesses have started this process years ago and in a short time they literally wiping out the competition ( Amazon makes you think of something?). According to Gartner , a leading market analysis, two of the ten most important technology trends of 2015 will be “ advanced analytics ” and “ smart machines ” . That’s the big wave is coming.
In Italy the sector “predictive analytics” is seen with interest, but few companies have initiated structural projects.
And this is also to contain costs in a period of sharp decline in markets. Few investments then, despite the strategic importance of immediately begin to integrate these new technologies into their business processes in order to remain competitive. In the market hyper-connected and digitized Today there is no room for latecomers and quoting “The revolution of the machines” (great book Brynjolfsson and McAfee , both economists MIT): “digitization creates the markets in which the winner takes all.”
The use of technologies of predictive analytics across a company is not necessarily cross, many companies have started projects Predictive Analytics confined to small areas of business before, gradually discovering how to transform business data unused (customer information, sales, product, etc …) in a real strategic asset. Italian companies must begin now to deal with the new technology of predictive analytics, because the great wave of AI It is coming and might otherwise be overwhelmed instead of riding it.
FABIO LEAF *
Rome, November 12, 2015
* Co-founder at MarketMind Research®
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