The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasing rapidly in various fields and sectors, both business and government. In 2020, the new coronavirus SARS CoV-2 pandemic accelerated this growth and changed the vision that many businessmen and governments had on the subject.
Automatic assistants in instant messaging services, temperature detectors, service robots, mathematical projections, simulators. This “boom” of possibilities on its application encouraged more than one to be delighted about the convenience of automating and streamlining processes, obtaining data and specific solutions for different sectors, especially in times of long confinements and work at home.
However, the popularity also returns to the table for a discussion of whether or not it is worth the investment. And, in 2019, the MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Global Artificial Intelligence Research and Executive Study Report warned that while nine out of ten executives considered that AI represented a business opportunity for their companies, also seven out of every ten thought that their use did not reflect the expected results.
But why do Artificial Intelligence projects fail? Experts point out that the factors can be variable, but they coincide in detecting some weak points that anyone interested in the subject should take into account. For example:
1.- Ignore what AI is, its scope, current limitations and how it could generate value through rethinking a comprehensive business model, instead of limiting it to cost reduction.
2.- Failure to carry out a diagnosis that identifies a specific problem that AI would help solve.
3.- Not taking the time to purify and select the data that will feed the processes, which would mean a decrease in effectiveness.
4.- Failure to provide adequate training to employees so that they understand that AI does not replace them in their work, but rather improves it, while opening up new growth possibilities.
5.- Do not invest in the recruitment of talent specialized in AI to create internal teams and not depend on external suppliers, but above all to develop new commercial possibilities.
Digital transformation is more current than ever. According to the Gartner consultancy, Mexico is considered one of the countries with the greatest potential for the use of AI. However, many entrepreneurs still do not know what to do with it, since they see it only as robotization or automation of tasks instead of a powerful tool to generate new products or services.
Given this, it is convenient to learn from the stories of failure and success worldwide in the implementation of AI. Take, for example, the model of Apple’s Siri, which has become a global success, as well as avoid neglecting details such as the presentation of the robot dog Spot, by Boston Robotics, which on the day of its presentation in 2019 embarrassed its creators.
Taking it into account helps to make intelligent decisions that can lead not only to a correct optimization of resources, but also to potentiate innovative proposals.
Founder and Chairman of the Board of Metrics
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