As artificial technology gains traction in the enterprise, many on the business side remain fuzzy on AI techniques and how they can be applied to drive business value. Machine Learning and deep learning, for example, are two AI techniques that are often conflated. But machine learning can involve a wide variety of techniques for building analytics models or decision engines that don't involve neural networks, the mechanism for deep learning. And there is a whole range of AI techniques outside of machine learning as well that can be applied to solve business problems. Business managers who recognize these distinctions will have a greater understanding of the business value of AI and be better prepared to have productive conversations with data scientists, data engineers, end users and executives about what's feasible and what's required.

As artificial technology gains traction in the enterprise, many on the business side remain fuzzy on AI techniques and how they can be applied to drive business value. Machine Learning and deep learning, for example, are two AI techniques that are often conflated. But machine learning can involve a wide variety of techniques for building analytics models or decision engines that don't involve neural networks, the mechanism for deep learning. And there is a whole range of AI techniques outside of machine learning as well that can be applied to solve business problems. Business managers who recognize these distinctions will have a greater understanding of the business value of AI and be better prepared to have productive conversations with data scientists, data engineers, end users and executives about what's feasible and what's required.

The potential of artificial intelligence is the subject of a new book titled "Embracing the Power of AI". In the book, five AI experts have come together to take a deep dive into topics like the state of AI today, how organizations can implement it, and why AI will continue to impact our daily lives. One extract from the book explains how AI is: Just now reaching its moment of maturity--its tipping point--largely due to recent advancements in machine learning and deep learning, fueled by the enormous amount of data humankind is producing on a daily basis. These developments have emerged as potent drivers of innovation across a number of industries and are powering the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence investments. As this new version of AI arrives, bringing with it applications that will affect the way that billions of people live and work, it's important to think beyond the technology and start a new conversation.

When IBM's Deep Blue beat Garry Kasparov at chess in 1997, it was a huge breakthrough for AI methods and capabilities. However, the AI of the '90s lacked the technology and practicality to provide long-term value to an organization's end users. The AI of today has the power to change the way our world operates, however for this to be realized many organizations have to learn what AI is and how to use it, and wider society needs to allay any fears and embrace it. These themes are discussed in a new book titled "Embracing the Power of AI". The book contains chapters written by five AI experts, who take a detailed look at the state of AI today, what businesses need to do to implement it, and how this will impact on society.

Everyone seems to want a piece of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help improve their organizations and customer experiences. Gartner reported last week that global business value derived from AI is projected to total $1.2 trillion this year, an increase of 70 percent from 2017. Not everyone has successfully used their resources for AI affectively. It's a nascent time for some organizations deploying AI into customer experiences, and there are costly mistakes. Facebook in January shut down M, its virtual assistant.