Why artificial intelligence is the game-changer for SMEs

British businesses are looking forward to a future driven by artificial intelligence (AI), which many believe could be the keystone technology of the next industrial revolution. However, many workers worry that their employers may not be ready to seize the opportunity. Almost half of IT decision makers (45pc) believe that AI will drive the biggest innovations of the next three years, according to a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Brother UK and The Telegraph. Melissa Di Donato, chief revenue officer at SAP Cloud ERP, says this should come as no surprise: "Once in a generation a disruptive technology arrives and changes everything. For this generation, it is artificial intelligence. "The real risk UK businesses face is not embracing AI and the productivity benefits it can provide." Respondents believed that AI was more important than other "buzz" technologies such as the internet of things (24pc), and virtual reality or VR and augmented reality or AR (16pc). In part, that could be because the direct links to increased efficiency and productivity are clearer, whereas VR and AR usage remains contingent on the devices needed to experience them. Artificial intelligence will enable British businesses to save trillions, according to Kriti Sharma, VP of bots and artificial intelligence at Sage. "Businesses in the UK spend on average 120 days a year on administration," she says. "This has a huge impact on productivity.