Technological and methodological advances in Big Data management, analyticsand cognitive computing (i.e. the tools behind artificial intelligence) are bringing the revolution in factories and offices around the world, improving workflows and business performance. We this article we want to explain how artificial intelligence can help you improve your business.
Data and knowledge at the basis of AI
Such as? We think of a working ecosystem where it is possible to obtain maximum visibility on all processes and machines, with widespread control over both operational and decision-making functions. Each device involved in the production and business activities is equipped with intelligence, i.e. the ability to detect information via sensors and send it thanks to connectivity and through the network to analytical systems in the cloud or on premise. Here the data are crossed with a myriad of structured information from multiple sources (Erp and Crm solutions, Internet sites, social networks, digital apps and services, e-commerce portals, etc.). Then they are processed to obtain hidden evidence useful to the business operations.
Accelerate decisions, trigger automatisms
Thanks to the insights, not only can decision making be improved and accelerated, making it more aware, accurate and reliable as it is based on large volumes of objective data, but also triggering automatisms to correct inefficiencies and optimize processes, accelerating the path of continuous improvement . In the latter case the intelligent devices themselves will receive instructions from the analytical systems and adjust the workflows to eliminate anomalies or bottlenecks, maximizing results.
Algorithms, the beating heart of intelligence
But in all this path of continuous improvement based on artificial intelligence, a fundamental ingredient has not been explicit: algorithms, or “mathematical” formulas for correctly transforming raw data into valuable information for making decisions and activating automatisms.
The algorithms are the heart, the true essence of artificial intelligence that simulates the human capacity for learning, reasoning and problem solving. In fact, they allow us to know the existing, understand the cause-effect relationships, hypothesize future scenarios, predict events. And, therefore, we can formulate solutions in the short and long term.
How intelligence improves the company
Let’s take the case of a production plant dotted with smart devices, which detect environmental parameters and information on the state of health and operation of the machines. All these data, sent to the analytical engines, allow you to identify any malfunctions and correct them before they can cause damage or detention. This is the so-called predictive maintenance: the algorithms allow you to calculate the risk of failure based on information collected in (near) real-time directly from the production lines, allowing accurate, timely and without waste planning of maintenance interventions.
With these data available, the analytical systems can also identify any corrections to be made to manufacturing and logistics processes based on the type of production. For example, they can send input to the drive technologies to adjust the speed of the conveyor belts according to the goods to be move, or remotely adjust the temperature of the cold rooms to better preserve certain foods.
Always remaining in the manufacturing field, think of the importance of artificial intelligence to anticipate consumption and predict orders in order to optimize production volumes. By crossing the data from the company’s management systems and e-commerce systems, it is possible to predict future orders and adapt production regimes, avoiding waste, reducing inventory and accelerating time-to-market.
However, it is not only on a purely productive level that algorithms can make a significant contribution to improving business performance. By analyzing data from the web and apps, from consumer interactions with smart devices, from user use of digital services, marketing managers can intercept consumer habits and product satisfaction, anticipating customer needs and changing demand.
Roadmap for AI implementation
In short, the advantages of artificial intelligence to improve the company are decisive and evident, however the roadmap for realizing the potential linked to Big Data Analytics and cognitive computing is not so obvious. First of all, it is necessary to limit the application area and the problems that need to be resolved. Hence the second step, which proves to be a fundamental key to decree the success of the project. It is a matter, in fact, of identifying the data needed for processing and the algorithms that allow you to find the correct answers to the questions.
We then proceed to the design and implementation phase of the intelligences, i.e. the mathematical models and the cognitive computing functions specific to the application area are developed, guaranteeing the ability to identify solutions and trigger automatisms. Finally, it follows the actual implementation phase within the system, remembering to reason with a view to continuous improvement. The algorithms must be continuously refined and questioned to obtain increasingly accurate and punctual answers, minimizing the margins of error.
If you want to discover our artificial intelligence solution and how can fit your company, contact us.