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EDITOR’S QUESTION
SAM TAHA, COO FOR
KUWAIT, SAP
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cross Kuwait’s industry verticals,
from automotive dealerships
to manufacturers and retailers,
organisations are rapidly adopting
Artificial Intelligence to enhance customer
experiences, optimise costs and drive digital
revenue. Artificial Intelligence and Machine
Learning were major topics of discussions
at our recent SAP NOW Kuwait event
and integrating these technologies into
organisations’ business plans continues to
drive new business value
Worldwide, on average 68% of organisations
are using Machine Learning – to at least some
extent today – to enhance their business
processes, according to the recent survey
Making the Most of Machine Learning: 5
Lessons from Fast Learners, conducted by the
Economist Intelligence Unit with SAP.
It’s no surprise that Artificial Intelligence
investment continues to skyrocket – with
the global business value from Artificial
Intelligence growing by 70% to US$ 1.2trillion
in 2018, according to a industry report.
Machine Learning uses sophisticated
algorithms to enable computers to ‘learn’
from large amounts of data without being
explicitly programmed. The more data
the algorithms can access, the more they
can learn. This enables software to adapt
and improve the execution of tasks and
processes autonomously and continuously.
More so than other technologies, Artificial
Intelligence and Machine Learning are set
to transform Kuwait’s economy, society
and environment. Artificial Intelligence can
provide the ‘brains’ for autonomous vehicles
to enhance traffic, for utilities providers to
predict and manage energy peaks and for
banks to gauge loan payback.
Every organisation’s line of business is being
impacted by Machine Learning – including
www.intelligentcio.com
contact centre services, legal, finance and
accounting, data processing and analytics,
human resources, research and development,
physical infrastructure management, logistics,
marketing and procurement.
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MENA’s digital leaders adopt
Artificial Intelligence three times
faster than competitors
In the Middle East and North Africa, more
than 70% of digitally-leading organisations
are investing in Artificial Intelligence and
Machine Learning in 2018 – more than
triple the rate of all organisations in the
region, according to the recent SAP and
Oxford Economics Digital Transformation
Executive Study.
These digitally-leading organisations
are seizing opportunities – expecting
23% more growth by 2019 and already
having 85% of market share and 80% of
profitability versus competitors.
What makes a digital leader? C-level
leadership and support is vital. Kuwait’s
organisations that are starting with Artificial
Intelligence projects that can show quick ROI
drives home business benefits – including
increased profitability and revenues, more
competitive differentiation and faster, more
accurate and more cost-efficient processes.
About two-thirds (64%) of organisations
expect to find increased profitability.
But what holds organisations back? Lack of
external and internal Artificial Intelligence
and Machine Learning expertise, lack of
clarity on strategy and lack of funding are
cited among the greatest challenges.
In discussions with our customers in
Kuwait, c-suite executives understand
the importance of tying in Artificial
Intelligence and Machine Learning
projects to organisation-wide Digital
Transformation agendas. Worldwide, while
84% of organisations say that Digital
Transformation is critical, only 3% have
completed Digital Transformation, according
to the recent SAP and Oxford Economics
Digital Transformation Executive Study.
Indeed, our customers that see the biggest
benefit are those that integrate Artificial
Intelligence and Machine Learning on one
digital platform, such as our SAP Leonardo
digital innovation system, which can
integrate these technologies with fellow
emerging technologies such as Blockchain,
cloud and the Internet of Things.
With Kuwait’s digital innovation market
approaching KWD 300 million this year,
and with New Kuwait 2035 coming closer
to fruition, Kuwait’s organisations need to
prioritise their Digital Transformation in Q4
2018. Artificial Intelligence and Machine
Learning should be at the core to unlock
intelligent enterprises.
INTELLIGENTCIO
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