The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more commonplace in the business world. While tech giants like Apple and Google have long used it, more companies are starting to adopt AI to boost productivity and efficiency. But who exactly is using it? To what ends? And why? Here’s what you need to know.
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a phrase used to describe machines that learn and make decisions for themselves. An AI system can interpret large amounts of data, learn from it, and make predictions. Considering the number of neural networks, statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and other techniques behind current AI applications, it’s not surprising that many people believe we’re living in a world with artificial general intelligence.
Why do businesses use Artificial Intelligence technology?
Businesses use AI to identify trends, predict customer behavior, and improve communication. Artificial intelligence can help businesses forecast their sales, predict customer needs, and better communicate with prospects. By making these adjustments, companies can improve their odds of closing a sale.
In other words, how do companies get more of the right tasks done? They probably don’t have enough people, time, or even energy to get everything done. Moreover, Artificial intelligence can not only help businesses identify high-worth tasks, but it can give them a heads up on when the optimal time to knock them out is.
10 Companies Who Use Artificial Intelligence
In this age of rapid technological change, it’s more important than ever for successful businesses to keep up with industry trends and implement new strategies to drive growth. Artificial intelligence has been growing as the technology continues to mature, and these ten companies have adopted AI techniques to push their businesses forward.
1- Google
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, looks beyond search engines and online advertising to deliver fully autonomous cars. Alphabet’s self-driving technology division, Waymo, has been working on self-driving technology since 2009.
Today, Waymo has the potential to transform the transportation industry — not just by reducing crashes and traffic but also in terms of revolutionizing the way people commute. Built from the ground up with safety in mind, its autonomous vehicles are currently shuttling riders around California in self-driving taxis.
Google has already revolutionized search with its AI technology. Google’s DeepMind program made waves in 2015 when it mastered 49 different Atari games — and was soon able to beat human opponents at the game of Go. Now, it’s working on building other applications that show off the potential of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the Google Assistant is already altering how people interact with devices.
2- Amazon
Amazon has become the undisputed leader in e-commerce, using artificial intelligence to offer innovative solutions for consumers and business clients alike. Using information technology, Amazon wants users to have an enjoyable shopping experience, no matter what device they are using. By tapping into consumer data and analyzing it and other factors, Amazon can predict which goods will be bestsellers, even before consumers know their needs.
Amazon Go is changing how you shop, offering convenience like never seen before. Amazon Go stores are fully automated, eliminating the need for checkouts and bagging. Amazon Go can track what you pick up in-store using sensors and artificial intelligence, eliminating dreaded lines and waiting. This unprecedented level of customer experience has made Amazon Go stores one of the most successful e-commerce concepts ever.
3- IBM
For over 20 years, IBM has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence developments. The company made waves with its Deep Blue computer in 1997, which was the first to beat a chess grandmaster. If that wasn’t enough, IBM also made headlines in 2011 with Watson, a Jeopardy-playing computer system. The company is now pushing artificial intelligence boundaries with Project Debater, an AI system designed to debate human opponents.
4- Microsoft
Microsoft is putting artificial intelligence at the core of all its projects. Cortana, Skype, Bing, and Office 365 are examples of AI projects from the tech giant, an important AI as a Service (AIaaS) vendor. In other words, they’re one of the world’s biggest providers of cloud-based artificial intelligence services.
5- Alibaba
Next on the list is Alibaba. With over $229 billion in projected annual sales, Alibaba is the world’s largest online commerce platform. Renowned for its prowess in data analysis and AI implementation, the company has revolutionized the way businesses interact with potential customers. Currently, it generates thousands of product descriptions for use in its marketplace through natural language processing alone.
Using artificial intelligence, Alibaba has helped cities in China become safer and more efficient. City Brain, an online platform that uses mapping, data analysis, and surveillance to help monitor urban areas, helps reduce traffic jams by providing real-time data about traffic flow patterns. Alibaba Cloud is also assisting farmers to monitor crops using AI technology to optimize agricultural efficiency and cut costs for farmers.
6- Apple
Apple is spearheading the artificial intelligence and machine learning movement. Some of its platforms and products, like FaceID and the AirPods (a wireless earpiece and charging case), wouldn’t be possible without AI. The iPhone giant also uses machine learning to support voice assistants like Siri and curate user experience when they visit its website.
Apple is also investing in services. The Cupertino tech giant uses artificial intelligence to help you find and discover files and photos. It’s even making it easier for you to navigate your way to a meeting with the help of its Maps app.
7- Facebook
Facebook’s artificial intelligence helps to decipher the billions of posts on its site so that users can find the content they want more quickly. DeepText, a text understanding engine, automatically understands and interprets thousands of posts’ content and emotional sentiment in multiple languages every second.
By helping users further connect with their online community, Facebook’s deep learning helps create a better user experience for both new visitors and regular readers of the site.
8- Spotify
Spotify is more than just a music streaming service — it’s an entirely virtual environment that can tell you what song to play next and how to feel about it. Spotify can track listeners’ music preferences and insert them into a learning algorithm to make the perfect musical recommendations every time with its deep learning algorithms. From trending tracks and top charts to personalized playlists, Spotify is more than just a music streaming service — it’s an integral part of our daily lives.
In addition, Spotify now uses predictive analytics to explore a user’s preferences and provide a more customized listening experience. Based on a person’s listening habits, the company can identify songs they don’t know but might enjoy listening to.
9- Under Armor
The Under Armor Record app is a tool that helps athletes monitor their workouts, sleep quality, and nutrition. Using data collected from the app, Record users can receive personalized recommendations for food and training. The tool was built with IBM Watson to offer customized workout plans based on progress made through the app.
10- Baidu
Baidu has one of the most advanced artificial intelligence research departments globally. While some of its AI systems are still developing, others are already transforming aspects of daily life. One of the most impressive examples is Deep Voice, an artificial intelligence system that can perfectly imitate someone’s voice after hearing just a few words or even just one. Baidu also uses artificial intelligence to transform book reading into a personalized experience with “Read by Baidu.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) take your job?
It’s a question that’s been on many for years now. It’s true; artificial intelligence is advancing at a fast pace. But this statement that AI will steal your jobs in the future can almost be considered a myth. The idea that AI will replace all human activities and take over the tasks of the modern world is simply hypothetical.
Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) take over the world?
Robot movies of old depict AI-controlled creations as all-powerful entities. However, modern-day technology has not yet brought us to the point where devices like robots can surpass the capabilities of their creators. There is no room for complacency; experts predict that true AI will be here in the following decades and will continue to evolve rapidly over the coming years.
How Powerful is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
The answer to how powerful AI is in this modern-day age depends on the developer’s skill who’s programming it. The more skilled the programmer, the better the AI model will solve more complex tasks.
Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are powerful tools that can accelerate computing for AI models. Right now, AI is especially good at complex tasks that it’s given because it does these tasks well and quickly. But AI hasn’t reached its peak yet; we’re still a few years away from that point.
You learned about who uses Artificial Intelligence. Now what?
In conclusion, Artificial Intelligence will continue to guide companies toward building user experiences that are more efficient and technologically advanced. The technologies that AI is driving will only increase — eventually encompassing almost every facet of our daily lives. The goal is to make it easy for businesses to create an excellent experience for their customers while reducing stress on employees and making everyday life more convenient.