Deloitte: 42% of executives believe AI will be of 'critical importance' within 2 years

Companies are ramping up their investments in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. That's the biggest takeaway from Deloitte's second State of the AI in the Enterprise report, a survey of more than 1,100 IT and executives from US-based companies conducted in the third quarter of 2018. "Companies are excited about the potential of AI to improve performance and competitiveness -- and for good reason," Dr. Jeff Loucks, executive director at Deloitte's Center for Technology, Media, and Telecommunications, said. "But to reach this potential, companies must engage risk, address talent shortfalls and execute well. While AI's upside is significant, haste can leave companies with bridges to nowhere -- pilots that don't scale or projects with no business benefit."