Quantmetry's areas of expertise include data mining, big data, machine learning, business intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, Python, …

Artificial Intelligence (AI) improves the economics and capabilities of everything around us. Amazon and Netflix recommend products based on our history, Yahoo and Facebook tag photos, Waze and Google get us to our destination more effectively, Lyft and Uber precisely communicate arrival times of our drivers. Consumers are starting to expect intelligent experiences – personal, contextual to their immediate situation, and highly relevant – every time they interact with a company. And customer service interactions are no exception. AI can assist agents in completing repetitive tasks, or even completely take these tasks over. Yet, instead of replacing humans entirely, AI will enhance agents' skills and allow them to focus their attention beyond routine tasks.

About 10 years ago, one of my top manufacturing clients invited me to visit their main production site in Europe. To my surprise, the factory was in Denmark--one of the most expensive places on the planet! I just couldn't fathom how they could afford to run their operations from this location…that was, until I entered the factory. For such a huge building full of production lines, there was a notable absence of people. Of the people that were working there, some were sitting behind monitors in small offices, clicking a mouse or keying in something from time to time. Others were behind glass walls testing products to ensure they met quality requirements.

Machine learning is a process that applies advanced mathematical algorithms and powerful computing capabilities to quickly and efficiently analyze those data sets and identify patterns. In the case of IT security, correctly determining patterns helps create accurate predictions and detect behaviors that may be associated with malware or other attacks. Doing so in real time, or as near to real time as possible, can help prevent malware from infecting endpoints entirely. Why should MSPs care about machine learning? There might not seem like there's a direct connection, but it's the difference between reactive and preventative security.