Abstract: 

While humanoids and computer wizardry attract attention, how are normal businesses currently using artificial intelligence? Leading organizations are deepening their commitments to AI and are eager to scale AI. But many companies have discovered, often to their surprise, that it is easy to apply AI and get quick results. What is not so easy is building a system of AI applications along with associated data pipelines that interact and are reliable. I will share the results of research that combines a global survey with 3,076 respondents and in-depth interviews with 36 business executives. The research tells a story of measurable benefits from current AI initiatives, increased investments, and determined efforts to expand AI across the enterprise.

Bio: 

Sam Ransbotham is an associate professor of information systems and McKiernan Distinguished Fellow at Boston College. While everyone seems to be talking about artificial intelligence, Sam is curious about what businesses are really doing—How are normal businesses using AI now and how will they use AI later? To learn more, he serves as editor for the MIT Sloan Management Review initiative on Artificial Intelligence in Business. Recently, he co-authored a research report “Artificial Intelligence in Business Gets Real” based on a global survey of 3,076 executives and dozens of interviews. Sam earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, an MBA, and a PhD all from the Georgia Institute of Technology.