The Bourbon Industry Is in Turmoil. Could Tech Provide the Shot It Needs? The software-driven approach pioneered by a new Kentucky distillery runs counter to the low-tech methods of whiskey's old guard. Its mix of data and automation might help pave a way forward. Kendra Skeeters, a warehouse operator at Whiskey House, works the barrel-filling stations at the company's facility in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.Photograph: LEANDRO LOZADA Save this storyIn case you missed it, the American whiskey industry is seemingly in free fall. The once untouchable bourbon business has seen many big brands abruptly retreating, with sales of Bulleit down 7 percent and Wild Turkey down 8 percent in the first half of this year.

We are excited to bring Transform 2022 back in-person July 19 and virtually July 20 - 28. Join AI and data leaders for insightful talks and exciting networking opportunities. While it's true that the adoption of artificial intelligence in various applications is yielding tangible results for all kinds of enterprises, there is a downside: AI's full potential isn't being realized because of a lack of human expertise to optimize it for business purposes. A new global research project conducted by Juniper Networks and Wakefield Research and released June 15 shows an increase in AI adoption during the last 12 months, but a shortage of human talent is holding a great deal of good implementation back. Governance policies involving AI continue to lack maturity, the report said, and this is also a stumbling block. Both of these factors are needed to responsibly manage AI's growth when considering privacy issues, regulation compliance, hacking and AI terrorism, the survey said.

New research from Juniper Networks has found a growing appetite from both enterprises and consumers to use AI technologies. Juniper surveyed 700 global IT decision-makers for its research and found that most (67%) executives have AI as a top strategic priority for 2021. However, integrating AI remains a challenge. "As a CIO, when I see so much interest in an emerging technology, I always need to remind people there are pitfalls if it's not managed correctly. For artificial intelligence, there is no doubt that there is light at the end of the challenge-filled tunnel, and significant potential to generate even more meaningful and incredible outcomes than we've seen so far."

Executives worldwide placed artificial intelligence as a top strategic priority for 2021, yet plans have slowed or been curtailed. Juniper Networks recently released the report, "AI is set to accelerate...is your organization ready?" which addresses this very curious dilemma: Developers, organizations (95%) and consumers know the benefits, welcome and are excited about the potential. But how can companies accelerate their adoption? Today, AI's slow rollout includes the automation of daily tasks, such as chatbots for customer service, bank reconciliations and smart workflows for IT trouble ticket management. The aforementioned 95% of organizations believe their companies would benefit from embedding AI into daily operations, products and services. Curiously though, only 6% of C-level leaders reported adoption of AI-powered solutions across their organizations today.

The North Face, Macy's and 1-800 Flowers are some of the brands collaborating with the supercomputer to glean insights from the increasing mounds of data they collect from customers. Its name, "Gwyn," stands for "gifts when you need." Gwyn is not a chatbot, though, said vp of marketing and customer experience Jon Mandell. "No two conversations are the same." Here's what 1-800 Flowers has learned, nine months in.

Technology has been good to 1-800-Flowers. The company has long pioneered new ways of retailing, a toll-free number, direct sales via the internet. So when, in 2009, it opened its online store on Facebook the company was expecting another tech-based success. Like many others they found Facebook was a tough sell. "We were one of the first to actually have a Facebook store, and we did have big expectations, but it turned out to be not very successful," recalled Jon Mandell, vice-president of marketing at the flower and gift seller.