Digital Disruption from EX²

Every year brings new developments in the information technology sector, and 2019 will be no exception. Hardware and software producers introduced a slew of new and revamped products for businesses of all sizes over the last 12 months, and the upcoming year will see even more time-saving and productivity-enhancing apps for businesses come to market.

Manufacturers across a broad range of sectors are finding that artificial intelligence (AI) systems can benefit their firms in a variety of ways. In the manufacturing section, most of the early AI systems were intended to help design optimal manufacturing processes, and to increase operational efficiencies at large factories, chemical plants, and refineries.

Artificial intelligence with practical, everyday applications is no longer the stuff of science fiction. AI is already being employed by thousands of businesses of all sizes today to help them do business faster and less expensively or to develop an edge over the competition.

Artificial intelligence, machines that think, are going to change the way we live, work and play. In fact, AI is already having a major impact on a number of key sectors in the global economy, and “early adopters” in these industries are already seeing phenomenal return on investment as AI opens up new business opportunities and creates value through identifying new process efficiencies.

In a survey conducted by Enterprise Mobility Exchange in Q2 2017, 47 percent of IT executives said their enterprise is using or pursuing some form of artificial intelligence. But the promise and potential of AI is overshadowed by a misplaced belief that it represents a threat to marketers.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming customer service across industries. Thirty-eight percent of enterprises currently use AI in some form, and use is expected to grow to 62 percent by 2020. In response, Microsoft has integrated machine learning and intelligent data analysis into their Dynamics 365 platform. These powerful tools are designed to revolutionize the way your customer service representatives connect with and serve your target audience.

In recent years, an increasing number of companies have embraced the idea of becoming digital enterprises. A successful digital enterprise often involves new technologies and a variety of projects to complete a digital transformation. Since a digital transformation is a journey rather than a single project, it can be difficult to measure the return on the company's investment using traditional methods. Nevertheless, organizations typically want to accelerate the ROI as much as possible. With the advances in AI technology, however, the ROI can be achieved faster, and the transformation can be more extensive and easier as well.