AI offers businesses increased productivity
KUCHING: The advent of broadly-available Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers businesses the prospect of increased productivity and accelerated innovation, whilst also enabling society to help solve some of its toughest – and most persistent – challenges, Microsoft Asia says.
In a press statement, Microsoft Asia president and Microsoft Corp vice president Ralph Haupter, said: “AI is already delivering tangible economic benefits for many organisations across Asia Pacific. For example, leading global container shipping company OOCL reports that applying AI to their business is already saving them US$ 10 million annually, whilst Apollo Hospitals in India are using AI to help predict heart disease amongst its patients.”
Nevertheless, he noted that while we might marvel at what benefits AI can bring, AI is still a disrupter, especially when it comes to the displacement of jobs.
“In fact, a key topic of discussion that surfaces when I meet with CEOs and government leaders across Asia Pacific is on the ramifications of AI on the workforce,” he added.
“As AI continues to transform
AI is already delivering tangible economic benefits for many organisations across Asia Pacific. For example, leading global container shipping company OOCL reports that applying AI to their business is already saving them US$10 million annually, whilst Apollo Hospitals in India are using AI to help predict heart disease amongst its patients.
the nature of work, we will need to rethink education, skills and training to ensure that people are prepared for the jobs of the future and businesses have access to the talent they need to succeed.
“And as traditional models of employment transform, we will also need to modernise legal frameworks to recognise new ways of working, provide adequate worker protections and maintain social safety nets,” Haupter advised.
Overall, Haupter says that the AI building blocks which Microsoft is developing today, such as computer vision, speech, and knowledge recognition, should be made available to all so that they could create their own AI-based solutions.
“AI should not be controlled by just a few organisations. Our AI future should be built by everyone with a vision on how AI can benefit economies and societies as well as
Ralph Haupter, Microsoft Asia president and Microsoft Corp vice president
how we can tackle AI issues and their implications.
“The future of AI can burn brightly or dimly. My viewpoint is that disruption is a norm, and ability to adapt to disruptions is what defines all of us.
“And to adapt to the fast- approaching, rapidly evolving AI future, all parties – from workers to enterprises to governments - will need to spend more time listening to each other, collaborate and constantly learn new knowledge and skills,” he opined.