The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in 2018: Seven Predictions

The AI debate shifts from "is it good or evil" to "is it ever going to be good enough": If 2017 was the year where the warnings from Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking about the potential evil from AI clashed with predictions from Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates on its potential good, 2018 will be the year when the debate shifts to its practical utility. Much like other technologies that were lauded for their world-changing potential and then fizzled as the fog of the hype cleared, early adopters will find themselves disappointed by AI's obvious limits. The broader public--familiar with Alexa, Siri, and Google Home--will be similarly disillusioned as the experts acknowledge that there is only so much that AI will be able to do, and for really complex problems, a new paradigm will be needed. Despite the hype, AI has demonstrated value in industries across the board - from agriculture to biotech to manufacturing. AI is just beginning to ingest data to power services and offerings, in turn providing information necessary for better decision-making. AI's success will continue in the new year, specifically in a new area: troubleshooting.