Remarkable new developments--from self- driving cars to virtual dialog agents that anticipate what we want to eat, watch or buy--have convinced most business leaders that artificial intelligence is a transformational advancement they need to embrace if they don't want their companies left behind. While disruption has always been with us, AI is accelerating the "constructive destruction" process and blindsiding businesses with competition from all quarters. So yes, understanding and embracing AI is a must. Unfortunately, some early entrants in the marketplace have positioned AI as a plug-and-play technology that will magically help companies reduce headcount, minimize risk, know their customers better, automate decision-making, and, if they're lucky, lead to breakthrough innovations that allow them to leapfrog competitors and upend their industry--with little input on their part. Learn more about getting started with artificial intelligence. AI has the potential do these things.

More Than Ever, Artificial Intelligence Is Real Sometimes change can take seemingly forever, yet it can suddenly happen before you realize. Take the technology industry, for example.

Not long ago, audits could be performed only by teams of accountants manually scouring reams of financial information. But given the explosion of data in today's digital world, it's critical that the audit profession evolves its traditional processes and embraces advanced technology tools--including robotics, automation and cognitive technology. By doing so, it can uncover insights that allow the audit to continue to be relevant and effective in helping investors make important financial decisions. Learn how cognitive technology is changing the financial statement audit. Cognitive technology--also known as artificial intelligence--can go through a vast amount of data faster and more precisely than any person.