AI News Index: Over 25% Of AI Initiatives Are In Production And 28% Have Failed

Recent surveys, studies, forecasts and other quantitative assessments of AI highlight the mix results of implementing AI in the enterprise; the increased adoption of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Work From Home (WFH) practices as a result of Covid-19; and China as the largest source of top-tier AI researchers, with more than half of them working in the US. Takeda plans to train thousands of staff to build and use software bots for themselves; based on a successful pilot with 22 employees, it estimates that the effort could automate 4.6 million hours of office work per year--the equivalent of roughly 2,000 full-time workers (but Takeda doesn't see the technology displacing anyone); RPA provider UiPath added 836 new customers in the first quarter, doubling its customer base year-over-year [Wired] U.S. employers since January have posted a total of 42,682 job ads for positions with an AI skills component, an increase of 14% from the same period last year, according to CompTIA. IDC's low-end estimate is projecting the number of global AI-related jobs this year at 927,000, up 11% from 2019. IDC's more optimistic outlook is for 969,000, a 16% gain over last year [WSJ] Akamai observed momentous internet traffic growth in March, which can be explained by new guidelines around social distancing and remote working during Covid-19. One of the observed changes is the increase in consumption of internet services over enterprise-connected devices, with a 40% increase during the month.