Driverless cars are the most prominent example of AI and robotics in action. But driverless trucks, semis, delivery vehicles, drones, and other UAVs are poised to unleash a new level of automation in the enterprise.

Predictive analytics / machine learning / artificial intelligence is a hot topic - what's it about? Using algorithms to help make better decisions has been the "next big thing in analytics" for over 25 years. It has been used in key areas such as fraud the entire time. But it's now become a full-throated mainstream business meme that features in every enterprise software keynote - although the industry is battling with what to call it. It appears that terms like Data Mining, Predictive Analytics, and Advanced Analytics are considered too geeky or old for industry marketers and headline writers.

Virtually every enterprise software vendor is creating noise in the market about artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, much of that marketing buzz offers little substance and creates confusion for customers about what's real. Given this FUD, the challenge for business people is deciding where to invest. Although market confusion is an issue, the underlying reality is that achieving results with AI needs different strategies, skills, and goals than deploying traditional process automation software. With traditional software like ERP or CRM, for example, managers re-engineer processes like customer service or manufacturing to find repeatable improvements and efficiencies.

Using algorithms to help make better decisions has been the "next big thing in analytics" for over 25 years. It has been used in key areas such as fraud the entire time. But it's now become a full-throated mainstream business meme that features in every enterprise software keynote - although the industry is battling with what to call it. It appears that terms like Data Mining, Predictive Analytics, and Advanced Analytics are considered too geeky or old for industry marketers and headline writers. The term Cognitive Computing seemed to be poised to win, but IBM's strong association with the term may have backfired - journalists and analysts want to use language that is independent of any particular company.

Google is investing significantly in artificial intelligence to power its search engines, and on Monday it announced how it's applying those investments to the enterprise sphere. At its global enterprise event series, Google Atmosphere, in Tokyo on Monday, Google executives unveiled Google Springboard, a new app that helps users find the information they need more efficiently. It also assists users by proactively providing "actionable" information and recommendations, Prabhakar Raghavan, vice president of engineering for Google Apps, said in a blog post. Raghavan noted that according to a McKinsey survey, the average knowledge worker spends the equivalent of a full day a week searching for and gathering information. Meanwhile, Google on Monday also announced a redesigned version of Google Sites, one the most popular products for enterprise customers.