One of the advancing technologies in our day is the use of "smart machines" - machines that are are capable of cognitive computing, artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, machine learning, and deep learning - and these machines are poised to change the way businesses operate. Gartner reports that almost a third of larger companies will make use of smart machine technology by 2021.
Susan Tan, research vice-president at Gartner, suggests the different ways that smart machines could be used to change the way work is done: “[smart] machines will profoundly change the way work is done and how value is created. From dynamic pricing models and fraud detection to predictive policing and robotics, smart machines have broad applicability in all industries.” This technology could even be used to "help organizations assess, select, implement, change and adapt talent, and for IT and business processes" according to Computer Weekly.
Smart machines will also come with a hefty investment as well - in 2016 companies spent $451 million on the technology but that number is expected to rise to $29 billion in 2021. This increasted investment is indicative of how flexible the machines are and how readily they can solve problems that dog products, or even offer up a way to proactively improve products or processes. BMW, for example, has teamed up with IBM Watson to evaluate how to improve the driver experience and GE has developed Predix, which monitors machine sensors and translates that to predictions on maintenance needs. Though simple in concept, these methods stand to inprove the industrial sector's ability to streamline processes and operate more efficiently, one tiny adjustment at a time that will accrue billions in savings over time.
Over the next decade smart machines are expected to become an integral utility for system integrators to provide advanced services for their clients, such as strategic design, training, deployment, integration, expansion, and ongoing refinement. And, smart machines aren't grounded either - many approaches are being made to move them to the cloud for more strategic and dispursed applications.
To learn more about smart machines please visit Computer Weekly.