WINTER PARK, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 20, 2019--COPC Inc., a global consulting firm that helps companies improve operations to transform the customer experience, and Execs In The Know, a global community of customer experience professionals, have announced the release of the 2018 Corporate Edition of the Customer Experience Management Benchmark (CXMB) Series. The report, The CX Journey: Understanding Corporate Strategies and Best Practices, provides customer experience management insights from the corporate perspective. A key finding is that since 2017, companies have dramatically increased their use of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions for customer service. "Our new corporate report shows that companies see tremendous potential in AI-powered solutions for customer care, both in applications that are customer-facing and in those that assist call center agents with their work. However, we also know from previous research that customers want a quick and easy way out of any AI-powered solution to reach a live person. Our findings overwhelmingly show that companies are keenly aware of this necessity in any customer-facing application. And while customers still want that personal interaction, we think that AI-powered solutions will find their appropriate place in the service journey," said Kyle Kennedy, president and chief operating officer, COPC Inc.

Freelancers are definitely having a moment. It's expected that by 2027 freelancers will make-up over 50 percent of the American workforce. At the same time, technology is also disrupting the landscape of work. Can you think of any industry that's not being impacted by technology like artificial intelligence? I mean why spend a ton of money on a writer when you can have a robot do it for you?

We're right at the start of the AI revolution but we've already got a good sense of how artificial intelligence will change the face of digital marketing. Investing in new technology is a big commitment and it can be intimidating when it's underpinned by complex concepts like machine learning algorithms. Personalization was definitely the buzzword in the world of marketing in 2018 and we're going to see this trend become even more important over the next 12 months and beyond. The way that consumers respond to and interact with marketing messages is changing. Traditional marketing methods like media advertising and direct mail are no longer as effective as they once were.

In the following report from Fast Company magazine we can find some answers and reflections. Workplace culture is being influenced by disparate factors in significant ways. Demographic shifts, diversity and inclusion initiatives, talent shortages, automation, evolving technology, and an onslaught of data are converging to create both immediate and long-term changes. PwC chief people officer Mike Fenlon likens the changes to the cyberpunk writer William Gibson's popular quote, "The future is already here. It's just not evenly distributed," he says.

AI governance frameworks are emerging as guard rails for controlling algorithms that are playing a growing role in human decision-making. Among the goals is managing the consequences of those decisions. Business consultants and professional services firms in particular have focused on new ways to assess and control AI algorithms as a way of building trust. Among them is KPMG, which launched a new framework this week called AI in Control designed to assess algorithms underlying business applications to spot bias and enforce governance rules to ensure ethical AI. The goal of KPMG's framework is fostering AI algorithms that are accurate, addressing what the company warns is the current "trust gap" among business executives clamoring for "explainable AI."

We're right at the start of the AI revolution but we've already got a good sense of how artificial intelligence will change the face of digital marketing. Investing in new technology is a big commitment and it can be intimidating when it's underpinned by complex concepts like machine learning algorithms. Personalization was definitely the buzzword in the world of marketing in 2018 and we're going to see this trend become even more important over the next 12 months and beyond. The way that consumers respond to and interact with marketing messages is changing. Traditional marketing methods like media advertising and direct mail are no longer as effective as they once were.

How are changing demographics upsetting the CHRO's role? You have more of Gen Z coming into the workforce, and many organizations are clamoring for the talents they have, like digital skills and advanced analytics. But in the war for technical talent, they're finding it hard to get these people. One big reason is that in this generation, unlike previous generations, fewer people want to work for large established companies. And younger workers are more interested in the experience they can have at work.

Accenture Joins Forces with MIT Professional Education to Reinvent Their Quality Engineering Workforce Quality engineers are being trained to be catalysts for speed, agility and improved business performance NEW YORK; Jan. 29, 2019 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is collaborating with MIT Professional Education to launch a new training program aimed at training the company's quality engineers pivot from being software testers to catalysts for speed, agility and business performance. The program, 'Reinventing Quality Engineers in the New,' will train Accenture employees on real-time, insight-driven quality engineering approaches, augmented by artificial intelligence, analytics and autonomous frameworks--a vision outlined in a recent Accenture whitepaper. The jointly developed program provides Accenture engineers with opportunities to grow their skill set in ways that enhance both their own careers and Accenture's work with clients. Employees will learn how to effectively apply analytics and intelligent, model-based automation to software testing and engineering services, as well as advanced risk-based testing approaches that optimize cost and quality levels. The program consists of live virtual classroom sessions that include engagement with MIT professors, as well as self-study materials and opportunities to collaborate outside of the classroom through interactive online forums.

Accenture has announced plans to launch a new Applied Intelligence Studio for Mining in Johannesburg. The studio will apply the latest in data science and artificial intelligence technologies with new data sources for real-time co-creation of innovative digital solutions that can help mining companies solve some of their hardest analytical problems. It is expected to open in February 2019. "They are increasingly looking to apply advanced analytics to reimagine processes, unlock trapped value, and drive operational excellence in their businesses today and position themselves for growth tomorrow." "Volatile commodity prices, rising input costs and changing global demand for commodities require mining companies to rethink their strategies and business models to remain competitive," said Rachael Bartels, a senior managing director who leads Accenture's mining business globally.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes an increasingly pertinent topic of discussion in the public and private sector in the GCC region; organizations that are best positioned to succeed in an AI-enabled world are those that combine human strengths with machine intelligence, according to Booz Allen Hamilton. Countries in the MENA region are investing in AI to transform their economies over the next few years. In the UAE, the launch of the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in 2017 aims to promote government performance and create an innovative environment using machine intelligence. The strategy is the first of its kind in the region and was established to enhance government performance and efficiency in a number of fields, such as education, transportation, energy, space and technology[1]. As governments look to fulfill their AI vision, they must invest in a combination of human strengths, such as creativity, empathy, negotiation, along with those of machines, including collection and processing of data and precision, to improve the lives of citizens. Fady Kassatly, senior vice-president, Booz Allen Hamilton, MENA, said: "AI has tremendous power to shape the future of regional economies and enhance the quality of life for citizens.