Artificial intelligence is no longer a buzzword, and businesses today are rapidly adopting it to accomplish their outcomes. As a result, a transition is seen across several industries to harness its immense potential. In the times ahead, we may have AI-enabled workspaces and virtual marketplaces. From the very beginning, Accenture has been at the forefront of AI Adoption among its client base and has been an early adopter of AI capabilities.

Accenture’s survey says that the majority of the businesses today are transitioning to the cloud, but only a third of them are achieving the expected ROI. Hence businesses are doubling down on crafting their AI journey. Additionally, growing awareness about the correlation between cloud and AI has also been seen. AI serves as the tool to convert data into business value, while the cloud allows the power of next-level computing and new kinds of data. Hence, we would see that most top people in management are pursuing their AI agenda for achieving precise business outcomes. So the question arises -what is AI, and why is it so much in demand? 

Artificial Intelligence – Decoded! 

It is a group of technologies working in sync with human-like intelligence to sense, comprehend, act, and learn techniques and concepts. Machine learning and natural language processing are all part of the AI landscape. They are all evolving technologies and, when applied together, can help accomplish business outcomes like improving customer service, optimising the supply chain, etc.

What is Applied Intelligence?

While many AI-based services such as keyword recommendations on search engines or song recommendations on music apps are quite common these days, AI is being gradually leveraged for performing complex tasks in other areas, like medical research, healthcare services, and supply chain. For instance, a doctor uses an AI-enabled device to examine patients, and the device comes up with diagnostic recommendations and lines of treatment. In such scenarios, the human intervention must close the loop and develop the reasoning and rationale to make the AI-based recommendations effective. 

So, there is a limit to which AI and related technologies can work autonomously. At some point, human intervention is needed. Considering this fact, Accenture has developed a holistic approach to leveraging AI, with an optimal mix of technology and human ingenuity, and all of this happens at the Accenture Applied Intelligence. It combines AI with data, analytics and automation and seeks the intervention of its global team of experts. This enables us to make smarter and faster decisions for optimising operations and delivering precise business outcomes to Accenture’s clients. 

Prithvijit Roy, Managing Director, Applied Intelligence, Accenture India, says, “We aim to help scale the impact of our client’s businesses, and our people are at the core of it. We have best in a class talent pool of data scientists, advanced analytics champions, and thorough problem solvers who work with Clients on cutting edge AI projects and deliver a big impact.”

Manage complex tasks with ease 

The company streamlines complex tasks with a superior analytics stack, IoT protocols, and on-premises-to-cloud flexibility, with the support of a curated team of tech and IP partners along with overall governance and superior processes control.

Enhance automation and scale impact 

It achieves this by integrating AI tools from edge to core business operations through the use of MLOps. This leads to improved and continuous insights, drives efficiencies, and creates a data-driven culture with a human-centric data consumption layer.

Deliver end results with speed and agility 

The company delivers this goal through an inbuilt environment and leverages the best reusable IP assets to rapidly progress from prototype to production. 

What does the future look like for Accenture?

AI is gradually assuming importance in the contemporary world. The dependence on this new-age technology is likely to grow. AI adoption will quickly become the new business norm and rule the future markets. Some emerging trends in AI that will dominate the future include:

Machines are gradually taking over the repetitive manual work humans do across various sectors like customer care, healthcare and banking. With the increase in automation of routine tasks, many people could focus their attention on boring and repetitive work to more value-add capabilities. To stay relevant with the changing times, the workers will need to update their skills to operate effectively in the AI-enabled workspaces. 

Demand for Machine Learning 

Significant advancement can be seen in machine learning technologies like Speech Recognition, Natural Language Processing and Speech Synthesis. Machines can comprehend and converse with human language in the above case. A stage is soon going. 

Advent of Metaverse 

The next upcoming trend would be the emergence of the metaverse, a parallel world of shared virtual space. It will aggregate all the virtual worlds and the internet into a single collective shared space, enhanced by new-age technologies like 3D, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Due to the convenience, it offers in terms of time, place, and cost, the metaverse is likely to be the preferred place for meets, events, seminars, and a marketplace of the future offering opportunities for the creator economy. Additional AI applications on the metaverse will be the next frontier.  

Safety concerns for AI 

Though AI is likely to be a game-changer in the future, it has some obvious risks. For example, there are also possibilities of AI coding going wrong, causing loss or breach of confidential or sensitive data. Also, going ahead, if AI-enabled bots develop a mind of their own and start making decisions, could they be detrimental to the well-being of humankind? 

Such are the concerns that need to be addressed. However, in one of Accenture’s global surveys with C-suite managers, more than half of them identify AI as a potential cause of unforeseen contingencies in the future and believe that they are fully equipped to handle the risks associated with AI adoption. 

Going forward

There is a need to professionalise the emerging AI market. The stakeholders across private and public sectors must come together to distinguish clear roles and responsibilities for AI practitioners. The right level of education and training needs to be imparted to the practitioners, and there is a need to redefine the processes for developing, deploying, and managing AI. Every organisation should prioritise AI literacy for their staff members. By taking such proactive measures, they would be able to optimise the scope of using AI for the betterment of humankind. 

Accenture Applied Intelligence is always on the lookout for the brightest data scientists, advanced analytics experts and problem solvers to join its team. To view the opportunities and apply, click here. 

We cannot deny the impact AI is already making and will make in business decisions in the future. Accenture’s Applied Intelligence which works at the intersection of technology and human ingenuity is the right way to stay ahead for embracing the changes that AI will bring in the near future.

Join us and work at the heart of change.