Big data and artificial intelligence -- a (r)evolution in outsourcing?

In recent years, we've been flooded with articles and blogs on big data and how it can be used to derive amazing new insights into almost every facet of a business operation. The deluge now has expanded to include artificial intelligence (AI). Although these two hot topics have received overwhelming attention, the interesting – even obvious – connection between the two hasn't often been explored. It is this combination of big data and AI working together that is now enabling business leaders to deliver new insights, efficiencies and even new functions that haven't been possible before. This is evident in the increasingly useful role big data and AI are playing in a broad spectrum of traditionally outsourced functions such as recruitment, HR, finance and supply chain, through to security and IT.