AI & Business Process Automation: Intro to AI

Recently Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation have become buzzwords across various industries. However, what exactly is AI and Business Automation, and how can they benefit us? What essential information should we be aware of? Today we’ll be talking about AI.

AI stands for artificial intelligence, which is the ability of machines or software to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, decision making, perception, and natural language processing.

AI works by using algorithms. These are sets of rules or instructions that guide a machine or software on how to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Algorithms can be based on mathematical models, statistics, logic, or machine learning.

Machine learning is a part of AI that focuses on building systems that can learn from data and get better over time without needing to be explicitly programmed. There are various techniques in machine learning, like supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and deep learning.

AI is incredibly useful because it helps humans do tasks faster, more accurately, more efficiently, or more creatively. It can also assist in solving complex problems, discovering new knowledge, and creating new products or services.

While understanding AI’s capabilities is important, it’s equally crucial to consider how it can be practically applied in the workplace. What might this actually look like in a professional environment?

Some common applications of AI in a workplace are:

• Chatbots or virtual assistants that can provide customer service, information, or support.
• Speech recognition or natural language processing that can transcribe, translate, or summarise spoken or written language.
• Computer vision or image processing that can recognise, analyse, or generate images or videos.
• Data analysis or data mining that can extract, organise, or visualise insights from large or complex data sets.
• Recommendation systems that can suggest products, services, or content based on user preferences or behaviour.
• Expert systems that can provide advice, diagnosis, or solutions based on domain knowledge or rules.

Key Considerations

• AI is only as good as the data it’s fed, whatever automation you’re asking for, its machine learning needs to be fuelled by the most up-to-date and accurate information. This can be personalised for your needs, bespoke to your company, to do whatever you require.
• AI is supposed to make your life easier. You need to make sure you partner with a provider that focuses on making it accessible and easy to use. You need to be empowered with the required knowledge, whilst they take care of the rest.
• Automation has the power to take away those repetitive administrative tasks, maximising efficiency and reducing human error; freeing your employees up to invest their time into increasing productivity and helping your business grow.