Companies Profiting from Fake AI Features, Extreme Vigilance Required.

These days it seems like nearly every tech startup is touting the use of AI in their products or business processes. They release press and marketing materials advertising smart, new features that "look" like artificial intelligence, all under the guise that this rebrand will serve the end user better. "We're doing it to save you money …. Unfortunately, recent data shows that companies are less than honest about their use of artificial intelligence, advertising AI product features that are really just basic automation technology features. There is value -- cash value -- associated with a company's ability to appear "tech-savvy". The UK investment firm MMC Ventures says that startups with some type of AI component can attract as much as 50 percent more funding than other software companies. Nevermind that the Wall Street Journal suspects 40 percent or more of those companies don't use any form of real AI at all. "Artificial Intelligence" is the ultimate marketing buzzword.