How cloud accelerates machine learning – and is redefining the enterprise in 2016

Machine learning is providing the needed algorithms, applications, and frameworks to bring greater predictive accuracy and value to enterprises' data, leading to diverse company-wide strategies succeeding faster and more profitably than before. The good news for businesses is that all the data they have been saving for years can now be turned into a competitive advantage and lead to strategic goals being accomplished. Revenue teams are using machine learning to optimise promotions, compensation and rebates to drive the desired behaviour across selling channels. Predicting propensity to buy across all channels, making personalised recommendations to customers, forecasting long-term customer loyalty and anticipating potential credit risks of suppliers and buyers are also key. Figure 1 provides an overview of machine learning applications by industry. Unlike advanced analytics techniques that seek out causality first, machine learning techniques are designed to seek out opportunities to optimise decisions based on the predictive value of large-scale data sets.