The 2022 FIFA World Cup will soon be under way, thrilling football fans worldwide. What most of the billions of global spectators may not realize is--as with seemingly every other aspect of life--artificial intelligence (AI) is already playing a role in the sport. AI firms, including DeepMind, are working on AI playing football by training AI-driven players to become competent footballers. But as they make strides in "solving" football with AI, the lessons they learn will find myriad other applications. As this Wired piece notes, AI "could one day help robots to move around our world in more natural, more human ways."

For most of us, 2020 has ushered in unwelcome chaos and uncertainty. Who would have guessed in early March that within days, personal decisions that were once mundane – like where, when and how to get groceries – would spur paralyzing anxiety. What was missing – and still is – is information and, in particular, data that's helpful. Should I send my kid to school? Is it safe to attend that outdoor wedding?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already assisting and augmenting us in our day-to-day lives. But in the coming year, we'll see it become integral to our strategic decision making at work, resulting in great value to businesses across all industries. Here are 20 ways that we predict AI will change work across seven industries in 2020 and in the years ahead. AI-enabled intelligence will continue to improve our quality of life as well as business profitability, growth and outcomes. For more AI predictions, see "A Look Ahead: AI Bright and Dark."

The U.S. healthcare supply chain has been caught off-guard by the impact of the novel coronavirus. Shortages have ranged from personal protective equipment (PPE) to pharmaceuticals to ICU beds in some cities. For instance, large healthcare supply distributors warned customers about historic back-order rates and low inventory. Several reportedly turned to allocation, or partial fulfillment, of orders for COVID-19-related drugs. Yet some states dismantled unused temporary tent hospitals erected to handle overflow, while others shipped their unneeded ventilators to harder-hit locations or back to the national stockpile.

COVID-19 is upending life as we know it. The potential effect of this viral disease on mortality and public health, as well as the lasting socioeconomic impact of the crisis, is unfathomable. To mitigate the wide-scale impact of this growing pandemic, our hopes are trained on a vaccine, prophylactic or curative, and the life sciences industry that can produce it. Prior to the emergence of COVID-19, advanced forms of artificial intelligence (AI) were facilitating and accelerating each stage of the research, discovery and production process. Now, AI continues to be an essential tool in the search for "repurposable" molecules.

The call center has always been an important way for banks to connect with customers. But it won't be long before call centers without artificial intelligence (AI) will be unable to make those human connections. I'm reminded of a meeting that I and one of my colleagues recently had with a bank CEO. My colleague remarked that he and his wife had been a customer of the bank for 25 years. Yet, in a recent interaction with a customer service representative (CSR) at the bank, the representative was unaware that my colleague's daughter had recently turned 18 and begun her financial life as an adult.

Most senior leaders would agree that adapting in real time to customer and market needs is vital for achieving their visions and goals. And to develop this capability, they'd also likely agree they need data and artificial intelligence (AI). The examples are all around us. The city of Chicago uses 12 variables, including high daily temperatures, to prioritize which of the city's 7,000 "high-risk" restaurants it should send its 35 food inspectors to. The AI solution found violations a week earlier than they otherwise would have.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already assisting and augmenting us in our day-to-day lives. But in the coming year, we'll see it become integral to our strategic decision making at work, resulting in great value to businesses across all industries. Here are 20 ways that we predict AI will change work across seven industries in 2020 and in the years ahead. AI-enabled intelligence will continue to improve our quality of life as well as business profitability, growth and outcomes. For more AI predictions, see "A Look Ahead: AI Bright and Dark."

When it comes to using artificial intelligence (AI) for credit-card fraud management, the benefits are more than meets the eye. Yes, AI-powered detection systems spot fraud more quickly and help contain losses. But the systems also put a new spin on fraud for credit card providers: Real-time fraud detection helps inspire customer confidence and boost loyalty. Call it the upside of fraud. According to at least one study, organizations with a formalized program in place to monitor and prevent fraud dramatically improve their customer satisfaction and retention rates.

AI is great at cutting operational costs. For media, entertainment and telecommunications companies, in fact, some of AI's best uses to date have focused on reducing fraud and squeezing inefficiencies from IT infrastructure. Yet the greatest potential for AI lies in its ability to generate growth. By personalizing the customer experience, AI can help companies in high-churn sectors acquire and retain customers. Which content does the customer prefer?