Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as the defining technology of our age, with many industries already utilising AI in some form. And as humans and machines collaborate more closely, and innovations come out of the research lab and into the mainstream, AI offers transformational possibilities for consumers, businesses and society as a whole. AI has the potential to transform business models – a new industrial revolution. But without assurance over the strategy, how it is implemented and the subsequent outputs and outcomes, boards are wary of giving the green light to AI. And if they do go ahead, they risk operating in the dark.

In the future, we will be competing against medically-enhanced workers who can work longer and harder than us. Artificial intelligence will make it easier to monitor our every move in the office. This may sound like science fiction, but it's a likely reality, according to a new report by professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. The report, which drew upon a team of science researchers and a survey of more than 10,000 workers based in China, Germany, India, the U.K., and the U.S., predicts that rapid advances in technology, resource scarcity, and population demographics are among the key forces that would radically shape the future of work by 2030. According to PwC, these forces will result in four potential futures: one where "humans come first," one where "innovation rules," one where "companies care," and one where "corporate is king."

The rise of advanced data analytics and cognitive technologies has led to an explosion in the use of algorithms across a range of purposes, industries, and business functions. Decisions that have a profound impact on individuals are being influenced by these algorithms--including what information individuals are exposed to, what jobs they're offered, whether their loan applications are approved, what medical treatment their doctors recommend, and even their treatment in the judicial system. What's more, dramatically increasing complexity is fundamentally turning algorithms into inscrutable black boxes of decision making. An aura of objectivity and infallibility may be ascribed to algorithms. But these black boxes are vulnerable to risks, such as accidental or intentional biases, errors, and frauds--raising the question of how to "trust" algorithmic systems.

The way we engage with technology is changing constantly and there's hardly a day that goes by where we don't hear about Artifical Intelligence (AI) and the'rise of machines.' While mature AI-related technologies are still in their infancy, it's a fact that workplace automation is already here across all sectors. From farming to fashion, businesses are using automation to reduce costs and pick up the pace of production. A report from PwC earlier this year claims that in the next 15 years, 30% of jobs in the UK could be affected by automation, with 46.4% of manufacturing jobs and 56.4% of storage jobs being automated by the early 2030s. Despite these high figures, PwC argues that for the most part, automation will enhance productivity, cut costs and add real value to sectors that depend on intelligent human interaction.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could add as much as 1.6 percentage points to China's economic growth rate by 2035, with industries like manufacturing, agriculture and retail seeing the most value from the technology, according to a recent report. As China's economic growth slows, a report by consultancy firm Accenture suggests that the advent of AI could give the country a much-needed boost in productivity and growth, especially as the number of working-age population in the country continues to decline. "AI capabilities have only just matured, such that they are able to interpret data at a speed and a cost that is reasonable and affordable for companies to take advantage of," said Adam Burden, Accenture's global lead for advanced technology & architecture. "The largest area of opportunity for AI in China's growth is absolutely manufacturing...the instrumentation of manufacturing has really only just begun. The Internet of Things, taking data and telemetry off machines and manufacturing lines for greater productivity is really just beginning."

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an umbrella term for "smart" technologies that are aware of and can learn from their environments, enabling them to subsequently take autonomous action. Robotic process automation, machine learning, natural language processing, and neural networks all incorporate AI into their operations. The most distinguishing aspect that separates AI from other general-purpose software is that it can enable machines to respond on their own to signals from the external world–signals that programmers do not directly control and therefore cannot anticipate. AI enables a variety of other emerging technologies as well. For example, it provides the "brain power" that allows robots to take on human-like characteristics, and it lends the analytical muscle that derives meaning from--and can act on--the flood of data generated by billions of interconnected devices in the internet of things (IoT).

The digital revolution is changing everything. It's everywhere – transforming how we work and play. Are you leading the way as a digital disrupter? Accenture Digital is driving these exciting changes and bringing them to life across 40 industries in more than 120 countries. At the forefront of digital you'll create it, own it, and make it a reality for clients looking to better serve their connected customers and operate always-on enterprises.

Remarkable new developments--from self- driving cars to virtual dialog agents that anticipate what we want to eat, watch or buy--have convinced most business leaders that artificial intelligence is a transformational advancement they need to embrace if they don't want their companies left behind. While disruption has always been with us, AI is accelerating the "constructive destruction" process and blindsiding businesses with competition from all quarters. So yes, understanding and embracing AI is a must. Unfortunately, some early entrants in the marketplace have positioned AI as a plug-and-play technology that will magically help companies reduce headcount, minimize risk, know their customers better, automate decision-making, and, if they're lucky, lead to breakthrough innovations that allow them to leapfrog competitors and upend their industry--with little input on their part. Learn more about getting started with artificial intelligence. AI has the potential do these things.

When businesses develop technology with a human-centric approach, they are transforming their relationship with the customer from being a provider to a partner, significantly changing the business dynamics and re-setting customer expectations. The outcome is that AI is poised to enable enterprises to improve the customer's experience in every key interaction with the business, playing a variety of roles throughout the user experience. Advancements in the AI domain are creating new opportunities to make any interface simple and smart, thereby driving a faster pace of adoption and generating better outcomes for enterprises and people. 'Technology for People' shows the way to an exciting future where technology is designed by humans, for humans to create positive change, improve lives, and transform business and society.

As is described in the report on Future Work Skills 2020 (Institute for the Future), working with data becomes very important. For example, skills as cognitive load management and computational thinking are essential to analyze, filter and manipulate data. We need to have computational thinking skills to translate amounts of data into abstract concepts and to make data-based decisions. With the increased amount of data, it becomes important to filter the right information (cognitive load management).