As a set of technologies based on edge computing infrastructure and 5G or high-speed connectivity, it is rapidly becoming a reality with many real-world implementations. Statista estimates global IoT spending will hit 1.1 trillion dollars this year, predicting the number of IoT devices worldwide will shoot up from 13 billion currently, to more than 29 billion in 2030. Since it is based on "things", its direct impact on the day-to-day work of senior management or finance departments may seem remote. But IoT can sustain AI (Artificial Intelligence) and machine learning (ML) applications handling multitudes of data flowing from many types of sensors and devices, even when mobile. It opens up huge opportunities for everyone, whether supplying or using services.

Artificial intelligence is becoming less of a futuristic technology and a more integral aspect of today's business landscape. The usage of AI across the business universe is revolutionizing every industry, and Gartner reports that at least 75% of organizations use deep neural networks today. In financial departments, AI is automating menial tasks and reducing errors in traditional manual workflows. There's no doubt that businesses utilizing the right AI for the right reasons are seeing exponential benefits. Unfortunately, not every business unit is as excited about the available AI solutions that finance departments are gifted with.

It's no secret that agile companies, those that can quickly respond and pivot when necessary, fare better than those that falter when faced with uncertainty or change. A recent IDC global report shows that agile companies experience higher profits, revenue growth and impressive market share gains. They also have stronger employee retention rates, faster time to market and better customer experiences. Yet, being able to adapt to change and successfully deal with the unexpected requires a steadfast focus on the future, and many organizations today are too bogged down with the here-and-now to focus on what lies ahead. As company leaders increasingly search for ways to achieve agility and future-proof their businesses, automation technology is becoming a key initiative.

Half of current finance artificial intelligence (AI) deployments will be either delayed or cancelled by 2024, while the use of business process outsourcing (BPO) for AI will rise from 6% to 40% within two years, according to Gartner, Inc. CFOs face major barriers to scaling up the use of AI in-house and will increasingly turn to business process outsourcing (BPO) solutions to meet their digital transformation objectives. Gartner experts provided CFOs with a breakdown view into some of the key predictions around the growing use of AI-driven technologies via the finance and accounting outsourcing market here today during the Gartner CFO & Finance Executive Conference. "While finance departments have made reasonable progress in laying the groundwork for AI, the challenges come when attempting to scale up solutions that can manage the complexities of function-wide use," said Sanjay Champaneri, senior director analyst in the Gartner Finance practice. "The upfront costs of building scalable infrastructure in house, and the overreliance on stretched citizen developers, will lead many CFOs to rethink their current strategies." Digital automation in finance often fails to meet the expected benefits outlined in business cases for deploying such technologies.

Nearly two years on from the initial rumblings of the pandemic and Europe's already fragile economic recovery is at further risk as a series of potential restrictions are expected to put the brakes on business growth. In this environment, cost is a top priority, but so is keeping service customers satisfied. While budgets are being squeezed, businesses must still ensure service performance is optimized. Unfortunately, for companies that have a large amount of data related to service delivery, this balance is proving complex. How can businesses optimize financial data of IT and IT services, as well as make use of it for transparent business planning?

Artificial Intelligence is an emerging field in which humans are making machines that are capable of making decisions on their own. These machines or robots integrate information, analyze critical data, and make decisions on the basis of given information. It is a very advanced technology as robots are doing daily tasks like human beings. But there is always a thing that is missing, common sense. Humans are making robots more accurate and making them able to make decisions with more precision.

Dr Adrian Engelbrecht, Product & Development Lead, Serviceware AI, looks at how AI is taking quality and cost optimization of enterprise services to the next level. Business and service leaders are under more pressure than ever. Nearly two years on from the initial rumblings of the pandemic and Europe's already fragile economic recovery is at further risk as a series of potential restrictions are expected to put the brakes on business growth. In this environment, cost is a top priority, but so is keeping service customers satisfied. While budgets are being squeezed, businesses must still ensure service performance is optimized.

Algorithms rule the world … or, at least, the world is headed that way. How can you prepare your company and its financial underpinnings not only to survive but also thrive under this new big data paradigm? In his new book, Deep Finance: Corporate Finance in the Information Age, author Glenn Hopper provides a clear guide for finance professionals and non-technologists who aspire to digitally transform their companies into modern, data-driven organizations streamlined for success and profitability. Hopper, who comes to this subject armed with a unique background in finance and technology, contends that the finance department is perfectly placed to lead the digital revolution – bringing companies of all sizes into a new era of efficiency while future-proofing the role of chief financial officer. Deep Finance is written for a wide audience, ranging from those who don't know AI from A/R to those who are already working with data to drive business decisions.

Manutan, a European supplier of products and services to businesses and communities and a specialist in BtoB e-commerce, is investing in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for its finance department. The group wants to offer its employees automated solutions to avoid simple and repetitive tasks and thus allow them to focus on missions with higher added value. In a company, some tasks are boring and require little intellectual skill, and employees who perform them lose precious time. To save money while using this time more productively, companies are increasingly turning to RPA. This technology, with its structured business logic and inputs, enables the automation of business processes.

If you've found your way to this blog, there is a high probability that you're a tech savvy individual who has made use of eCommerce services in your lifetime,and more so in the pandemic stricken past one and a half years. You might have used a variety of apps to get stuff right to your door-step (Clothes, shoes, grocery, food delivery etc) just by the use of one finger, while using the other 4 to hold your device. Or you might have used a laptop/desktop(about 50% of online traffic still comes from desktops) if you prefer a bigger screen experience. Fun fact- the first transaction of the internet was to arrange cannabis sale between students at Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. What I want to focus on in this blog is retail eCommerce, and how analytics can help bring more value to the business.