By Will Novosedlik
The pace, ubiquity and ethics of AI have been an ongoing debate lately, but one thing’s for certain: its development is sure to alter the way work is conducted. Which is why Accenture wanted to gauge interest among global and Canadian execs to see how AI will be incorporated into the day-to-day work flow.
Accenture conducted a survey of 4,777 C-level executives and directors across 25 industries. The surveys were fielded from December 2022 through January 2023 across 34 countries. According to the report, 90% of executives say AI is the “emerging area of technology and innovation inspiring their organization’s vision or long-term strategy” the most, and 72% of executives anticipate making significant increases in resources dedicated to AI in the next three to five years.
The report identifies four emerging digital trends for this year: digital identity, which means that there’s a digital profile not just for people, but for all things; data transparency, or promoting an honest approach to how data is being used; generalizing AI, the shift from building a company’s own AI to instead building with AI; and prioritizing science, meaning that after decades of being focused on data tech, companies are now bridging the gap between computing and science.
When it comes to digital identity, 85% of global executives agree that digital identity is no longer just a “technical issue”; it’s becoming a strategic business imperative for their organizations. The report states that core identities, biometrics, tokenization and other emergent technologies are beginning to alleviate digital identity’s past shortcomings, but that companies will also need to be prepared to shift access to critical data and remain poised to integrate new technologies.
An overwhelming 90% of global executives agree data transparency is becoming a competitive differentiator for their organizations. But before companies can turn transparency into a resource, they’ll need to be prepared to handle the quantity of data they have access to in a responsible way. The report states that we’re in a business era driven by honesty, and 95% of global executives report that new data architectures and strategies are required to manage the dramatic changes to their organizations’ data landscapes.
Being radically transparent will reshape customer and partner relationships and the value of data and how it’s gathered. And the companies that are committing to it are already seeing results: 59% of executives report accelerated innovation and 56% report greater trust with customers as the leading benefits of increased transparency for their organizations.
Overall, execs are optimistic about the possibilities that come with generalizing AI: 96% of global executives reported they are either very or extremely inspired by the new capabilities offered by AI “foundation models,” a term coined by Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence to define the new class of AI.
In one the latest classes of AI models, networks are able to identify and track relationships in sequential data to learn how they depend on and influence each other.
Stay with us here as we break down an example of what this means. Let’s say you’re feeling sick but can’t figure out what’s wrong. These days you might head straight for the ER and wait to be assessed. Given the constrained condition of most ERs, you could be in there for hours before someone comes to see you. But if AI had its way, you might be able to go through a digital triage before you even leave home.
Based on all the data the AI has access to, it can suggest whether to tell you to go to the emergency room, see a doctor or just take a Tylenol. But it doesn’t stop there. If it determines that you need to be transferred immediately to the ER, it will be able to connect to that ER and provide all the information you’ll need to get there and seamlessly continue the process. In short, this level of AI runs in parallel with and is connected in real time to the physical version.
These streamlined processes mean ease across many platforms and industries, and execs are taking notice: 97% of global executives agree AI foundation models will enable connections across data types, revolutionizing where and how AI is used. The report notes that companies can already use foundation models available today to experiment and build novel applications more easily than ever — and as the technology advances, the opportunities will only keep growing.
Finally, the report highlights the convergence of computing and science, with 96% of global executives reporting that the combined effect of science and technology driving each other is leading to compressed innovation in science tech.
As an example, the very first 3D-printed steel bridge in the world was built in Amsterdam. Not only was the bridge created with 3D-printing and robotic arms, but it was also embedded with a cutting-edge sensor network that now feeds a digital twin with real-time data on vibration, strain, weather conditions and more. The twin can predict how the bridge will behave, so that maintenance needs can be quickly resolved, and engineers can better understand how 3D-printed steel might be used in future projects.
But there are some challenges that come with this next-level advancement. According to the report, next-generation computing technologies, such as quantum computing, are not only advanced and complex, but require skills that are hard to find and in high demand.
