While it may lack the special effects-laden sophistication of its portrayal on the big screen, artificial intelligence (AI) is already permeating our daily lives.
Described as one of this century’s most important technological revolutions, 63% of us use AI such as predictive typing every day without even realising it, according to a recent survey.
And AI is already changing the way many of us work, too.
AI assistance
AI has progressed to a stage where it can viably aid us with everyday tasks, with an array of niche applications entering the workplace.
Notably, Boomerang’s ‘Respondable’ tool gives advice on the tone and structure of your emails, making them more likely to gain a reply.
Other companies are now offering comprehensive virtual assistance. Fujitsu are piloting their new AI-driven Social Command Centre, containing an omnipresent virtual assistant that learns to differentiate users by voice. It can solve IT problems, or book flights and hotels.
“It knows who you are, learns your preferences as you go along and it services you as you, not any other user,” explains Ramanan Ramakrishna, an executive at Fujitsu EMEIA.
This may sound like an Isaac Asimov storyline, but Ramakrishna reports that “it has been met with a lot of joy”.
“The agents feel a sense of empowerment. Suddenly they have new technologies in their hand which makes them more credible.”
This type of technology is becoming sought-after by companies. Many are adapting consumer technology, like Amazon Echo, to aid employees with mundane tasks.
Speeding up marketing
AI’s analytic potential and predictive capabilities are already being put to use by marketing companies.
One such company is Jaywing PLC (LON:JWNG), who use AI to make marketing decisions in real-time and have run successful campaigns for Pepsi and Sky.
“It’s a level of insight and understanding that you haven’t had before,” says CEO Rob Shaw. “It can be done at scale and at speed.”
Shaw believes that within the marketing sector there is little reason to worry about robots taking over jobs.
“AI is not replacing the marketer,” he says. “AI is allowing the marketer more time to do the things that they should be doing, removing the grunt work. Not just by automating, by actually giving them insight and assistance. It’s a bit like Jarvis (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) from Iron Man.”
