Throughout 2021, businesses were forced to take on a variety of new strategic priorities. They were challenged to meet the needs of their customers while still finding ways to be more cost efficient, more responsive and make faster, more informed decisions. Many businesses turned to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address these shifts.
AI is changing the way businesses operate in fundamental ways, from how they communicate with their customers through virtual agents, to automating key workflows and even managing network security. This year, IBM's Global AI Adoption Index 2021 [c212.net], conducted by Morning Consult, revealed that while AI adoption was nearly flat over the last year, momentum was shifting as the need for AI was accelerated by changing business needs during the global pandemic. In the next 12 months, businesses plan to invest in all areas of AI, from skills and workforce development to buying AI tools and embedding those into their business processes.
With recent advances in the technology making AI more accessible than before, consumers can expect to see it become more prominent in a variety of industries. Seth Dobrin, IBM's Chief AI Officer, has been working with businesses across sectors as they worked to embed AI into their organization. He's seen three big factors that will drive AI adoption in key industries in 2022:
- Banks will adopt new AI-powered fraud detection capabilities leading to more secure transactions for their customers.
- Major retailers will overcome pandemic-related hiring disruptions and unfair HR practices with the introduction of AI technology and practices that mitigate bias and uncover new workforce insights.
- Conversational AI will help healthcare and insurance companies make services more accessible by explaining health benefits and options in language that's easy to understand.
For more information please visit: ibm.com/AI
