Assessing the Barriers to AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the next technology to enter the hype cycle, and while it will most certainly have an effect on IT operations, the details as to how it will be implemented and how to generate a maximum return on investment are still unknown. At the moment, of course, the key challenge is overcoming the significant barriers to deployment, which include not only disruption to legacy architectures but to long-established business cultures as well. According to a recent study by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Teradata, a good 80 percent of enterprises are currently investing in AI, with telecommunications firms, professional and customer service providers and financial institutions leading the charge. While most outfits believe that the technology will produce significant ROI over the next decade, only about one-third see the need for additional investment over the next three years in order to remain competitive. At the same time, issues like the lack of advanced IT infrastructure and the need for AI-related skillsets in the workforce are seen as major barriers, as are the ever-present budgetary concerns.