Technology & Innovation

Artificial intelligence in the real world

January 19, 2017

Global

January 19, 2017

Global
Charles Ross

Asia editorial director

Charles Ross is Principal of Policy and Insights in Asia-Pacific and leads the region's technology and society practice. Prior to this role, he was editorial director for The Economist Intelligence Unit overseeing all thought leadership research in Asia. Charles combines a deep understanding of how technology trends are reshaping business and society with excellent research and editorial skills, to create impactful and award-winning research programmes for clients. Charles is currently based in Australia and has led many projects analysing the implications for business of new technology trends such as blockchain, fintech, smart cities, cloud computing, sustainability and the internet of things, for Google, Stripe, SAP, Telstra, Microsoft, Prudential, Westpac and the Singapore government. He is a contributing industry expert to the UN Science Policy and Business Forum on the Environment and a frequent speaker at finance and technology events across the region. Charles holds a master of business administration, focusing on strategy and organisational change, from the University of Oxford and a certificate in public policy analysis from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer the future. For businesses, it is the here and now.

The purpose of this study has been to gauge corporate attitudes toward AI in different regions and different industries. Based on a global survey of 203 senior executives, it finds that, especially in North America, companies in health and life sciences, in retail, in manufacturing and in financial services are actively testing the waters. Amongst this group, AI technologies and applications are in the exploratory phase at around one-third of companies, but another third have moved on to experimentation, and onetenth have begun to utilise AI in limited areas. A small handful (2.5%) have even deployed it widely.

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