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Special Report: Artificial intelligence apps come of age

Last updated:September 2016

Editor's note

Artificial intelligence is expected to be ubiquitous within just five years, as developers gain access to cognitive technologies through readily available algorithms. With AI, companies are able to make sense of unstructured data, improve data center efficiency or meet the needs of customers who demand nothing less than smart apps and personalized interactions.

In this guide, we cover the technologies that encompass the umbrella term artificial intelligence, including image recognition, machine learning, deep neural networks and speech recognition. Learn how artificial intelligence apps help businesses bridge customer service gaps and gain sales intelligence from big data, how AI is changing the way developers build applications, and the ways AI technologies affect data center infrastructure.

We also cover examples of how businesses successfully use AI today, along with the challenges that surround cognitive systems such as machine learning.

1AI chatbots will steal your job and other myths

Forget what you've heard: The broad generalization that artificial intelligence systems will steal jobs isn't true. In fact, while AI will replace certain roles, others will sprout and smart machines will make many jobs easier by providing quick access to information.

Beyond the job market fears, many technology providers overhype what AI can do or misuse the term to cash in on the trend. Don't allow their artificial statements and false beliefs impede your intelligence on this emerging technology market.

2AI development tools speed smart app availability

You don't need a massive development team and deep pockets to build artificial intelligence apps.

IBM, Google and other tech giants have made artificial intelligence technologies, including natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, available for businesses to use in their applications to help make AI pervasive.

3How cognitive technologies affect data centers, IT operations

Artificial intelligence technologies have begun to change the way companies interact with customers, the way developers build applications and the way IT teams buy data center infrastructure.

Businesses that want to use cognitive tools need servers with GPUs designed to handle AI workloads, for sure, but AI technologies such as machine learning are being used to help IT teams improve data center infrastructure efficiency and take over time-consuming IT management tasks.

4How businesses apply AI to engage customers, boost sales

Within the next five years, there's a high probability that the email you receive about a product or service will be from a chatbot, thanks to advances in machine learning and natural language processing.

In this section, learn how companies are using artificial intelligence tools to advance their sales and marketing efforts or gain intelligence from the data they collect, along with users' challenges with cognitive platforms.

5Hear how AI affects businesses, jobs

Artificial intelligence technologies have made their way into business applications, and the impact on companies, employees and customers gives industry watchers plenty to talk about.

In these videos, TechTarget editors discuss how businesses are applying various cognitive computing technologies and the overall positive and negative impacts that these new approaches may have.

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