Technology

Posted on September 7, 2016 by staff

Artificial intelligence may not be the golden ticket

Technology

A digital entrepreneur says that artificial intelligence may not benefit every business.

AI is popping up in many industry sectors, from the obvious, such as online retailers, to the seemingly bizarre, such as IntelligentX’s evolving beer recipe.

The temptation for business owners looking to evolve in the technological age is to look into how AI could potentially be deployed within their firm.

But a more important question could be whether it should be deployed at all.

Steve Todd is co-founder of Liverpool-based digital agency Studio Mashbo, which builds apps, websites and interactive content for clients as huge as Very – which boasted more than £1 billion in sales last year, thanks in part to AI developments – and Liverpool FC.

“It’s about using things like AI when beneficial, and knowing when maybe they aren’t right for the project,” he told BusinessCloud.

However he does see benefits for his own company, which also has an office in Salford Quays near Manchester.

“Naturally, when discussing new projects, these ideas are floated about and their scope tested,” he said.

“Recently we’ve started to pitch work based on machine learning for future phases of development.

“It’s something we’re all enthused by, and are itching to get going with.”

Studio Mashbo is embracing the innovation that new technologies like AI bring for their customers, says the team’s front-end engineer Vinny Atanasov.

“It’s our offering as a business to others which could benefit more, as AI techniques unlock more potential for our clients,” he said.

Artificial intelligence will release humans to become more skilled at providing ‘soft services’, according to the MD at Manchester-based Brother UK.

And easyJet’s head of data science Alberto Villaverde told BusinessCloud that the budget airline is already using AI to manage its flight schedule.