FEATURE : ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Andrea Tucker , Head of R & D , e4 with market conditions . Fortunately , AI is capable of utilising real-time data to build solutions suitable to the current business climate ,” he said . “ New business models are undoubtedly required to bridge the gap between market conditions and company operations . It has been proven that cost / benefit forecasting based on historical data can no longer be a reliable indicator in unpredictable market conditions and changing customer needs .” complete a specific task , to now include learning from experiences , reasoning and self-correction . Ravindranath said this is leading to augmented intelligence , where technology is supporting and enhancing the human understanding . While globally there is an immersive mindset change to AI emerging , many business leaders across the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ) remain sceptical , citing concerns around the potential negative impact on jobs .
Rudie Opperman , Manager Engineering and Training , Middle East and Africa – Axis Communications , said the optimism around AI is widely spoken of and almost becoming a household name in so many industries . “ Most people will easily gravitate towards the promises it brings and the improvements it could potentially deliver . From our perspective in the realm of security and IoT , we cannot deny that the potential benefits are real and promising ,” he said .
According to Opperman , CIOs in the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ) can improve their positioning with AI by starting to build trust and aligning with suppliers and manufacturers who have clearly demonstrated their commitment to a smarter and safer world . “ Other important topics like sustainability and cyber security needs to be roped into these AI discussions and the potential risks also need to be weighed against the potential benefits ,” he said .
Gill said in this situation , adopting an AI-approach can help CIOs build data-centred strategies based on a real-time understanding of their customers and the market . “ This has proven to help business adaptability in times of changing habits and preferences . For example , within e-commerce and retail , AI and Machine Learning technologies are extensively used to recommend products to customers , forecast future demand for products and other functions ,” he said . “ This is the case with Amazon where AI use is deployed to enhance consumer experiences through analysing their shopping patterns to recommend products accordingly . This undoubtedly increases the chances for customer loyalty and retainment .”
With some AI projects failing to yield the desired outcomes for organisations , CIOs and IT teams have been cautioned to clearly define their AI goals before implementing Andrea Tucker , Head of R & D at e4 , said the biggest areas to be aware of for CIOs is to ensure they have the problem statements clearly thought through and documented . “ And document what success looks like . Make sure that you can quantify the benefits of a successful AI integration . You can ’ t assess a pilot successfully if you haven ’ t got these things documented ,” Tucker cautioned . “ Listing criteria for success upfront makes the decision to proceed or not easier . These need to be meaningful to measure in business terms and they should explicitly link to the outputs of the AI work to be meaningful and measurable . If black and white metrics aren ’ t easy to ascertain , decide what level of improvement to expect in the business measure as a result of the AI work .”
At Heriot-Watt University Dubai , Stephen Gill , Academic Head of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences , said it is no secret that the massive digitalisation shift accelerated by COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges to CIOs . Gill said faced with an unpredictable market and new variables , reference to historical data proved futile . “ With business priorities significantly shifting and employees ’ tasks changing accordingly , driving automation , among other technological adjustments , has proved to be the way forward . “ To succeed in this new business climate , CIOs must create new business models that can get their organisations up to speed
Julia Carvalho , General Manager , IBM Africa Growth Markets , said it is important for organisations to continue to re-examine their strategies and tools that will set them apart . Innovation often creates superior long-term benefits and practices . Carvalho said the digital revolution induced by the pandemic has led new norms and organisations must be increasingly aware that the new ways of interacting with their ecosystem is only going to intensify . “ Organisations must embrace AI and this starts with thinking critically about the problems the business is facing , framing those challenges in ways that are potentially solvable by AI , and then identifying and refining use cases
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