Embrace AI: Leveraging AI To Transform Your Business

“In 2029, there will be machines that can match human intelligence.” – Ray Kurzweil

Artificial intelligence (AI) is growing in an exponential rate. Technological advances happen so fast, its impact so profound, it will affect all aspect of our human lives. Technology feeds on itself, improves itself. It uses tools to build new tools. It can automate dreary, repetitive tasks. AI makes our jobs easier. The immense increase in computational power, advanced analytics, and inter-connectivity make our world a better place.

Here are 3 industries benefiting from the advancements in AI:

1. DeepMind on Healthcare

DeepMind’s research partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital delivered promising results. The researchers at DeepMind Health, Google’s AI research arm, developed an algorithm to analyze eye scans to detect early signs of Retinal Eye Disease and Glaucoma.

Ophthalmologists at Moorfields use an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging systems to take 3D images of the eye’s interior called Fundus, allowing assessment of the retina, optic nerve head, blood vessels, and other features. An OCT scan is contactless but is considered invasive because it sends a beam of light deep inside the eye rather than X-rays or ultrasound. This is, however, a more accurate procedure in detecting Glaucoma, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Diabetic Macular Oedema (DMO), and other types of eye disease.

Deepmind trained machine learning models/systems to read these OCT scans. They used OCT images from about 15,000 patients of Moorfields. This helped the AI learn how to spot 10 critical features of eye disease. From these images, they identify where a particular pathology exists, label that area, identify the pixels that correspond to the diagnosis of a possible condition, and prompt an Ophthalmologist to apply the appropriate intervention.

DeepMind’s artificial intelligence can spot interpretive signs of eye disease as well as the world’s top doctors. It can detect eye diseases that will help doctors quickly prioritize patients who need urgent treatment- which could prevent irreversible sight loss.

If you have diabetes, you’re 25 times more likely to suffer some kind of sight loss. About 98% of that severe form of sight loss is entirely preventable if diagnosed early. AI is used to quickly analyze data, identify patterns to speed-up diagnosis and treatment. The practice has medical applications and promises an unprecedented accuracy. The combination of high tech computing and hands-on medicine is transforming medical care.

2. Agricultural Robotics

Farmers lose an estimated USD43 B annually on creeping weeds on corn and soybean crops according to Weed Science Society of America. Weeds are now resistant to herbicides. Eliminating these weeds is their primary concern. It remains a challenge to find a cost-effective solution to solve this problem.

Thanks to the advent of AI. We now have an efficient way to protect crops from weeds by using robotics and automation. By leveraging on computer vision, a robot called See & Spray(developed by Blue River Technology) can now precisely spray creeping weeds on cotton plants ensuring superior plant health. The technology used in See & Spray uses deep learning algorithms identical to the way facial recognition works. Herbicide resistance is now a thing of the past. Precision spraying removes 80% the volume of sprayed chemicals, therefore, reducing herbicide costs by 90%. The swift adoption of AI-driven technologies in agriculture will address industry challenges and improve farming efficiency.

3. AI Drones For Construction

Accidents on construction sites observed by drones decreased by 91% according to PwC. The ability to quickly survey sites or prevent possible mishaps increased the bottom line of construction companies. AI drones are used to scan and map the terrain of building sites, a task that would take humans to complete in days would just be a 15-minute aerial inspection by drones. Aerial drones provide engineers a bird’s eye view of workers, equipment, and vehicles during a project. They have a complete grasp of everything that’s happening at the site. It becomes the company’s eyes and ears. The efficient use of this technology proved to be a smart investment for construction companies.

Autodesk is a leader in software services for construction, engineering, and manufacturing. They invested in enterprise drone maker 3D Robotics. The company uses Autodesk’s Forge Platform to provide commercial unmanned aerial vehicle solutions. Their drones can capture site data which is then fed into Autodesk software for analysis.

THE TAKEAWAY

“Everything we love about civilization is a product of intelligence, so amplifying our human intelligence with artificial intelligence has the potential of helping civilization flourish like never before – as long as we manage to keep the technology beneficial.”

– Max Tegmark, President of the Future of Life Institute

AI is at the forefront of digital technologies transforming business. It will live as partners alongside us, interact with us, to help us to get better, faster results. AI will continue on improving to help businesses reduce costs and accelerate time to market.

What if AI becomes a new, improved version of humanity and they inspire us? Are you ready to embrace AI ? I’d love to hear from you. Let me know your thoughts and share it in the comments section below.

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