Insightful Digital Transformation Trends of 2023

Insightful Digital Transformation Trends of 2023

by Artificial Intelligence

Ready to embrace the digital revolution like a cyber-savvy superhero? Grab your cape and buckle up, because we’re diving into the top five digital transformation trends of 2023 that are shaking up the business world like a caffeinated coder on a coding spree! From the advent of no-code and automation-driven efficiency to a greater emphasis on employee experience and composable corporate strategy, these trends will have a significant influence on how we work and interact with technology.

Data-driven Insights: The Secret Sauce to Success

In the wild world of business, two things matter- Expenses and Income. By injecting some data-driven insights into your company culture, you can whip your business into shape like a pro athlete. Imagine understanding your customers with the precision of a mind reader, thanks to a blend of structured (personal customer info) and unstructured data (social media analytics). That’s right – data is the magical elixir that will pave your path to a glorious ROI!

Companies that are using data-driven B2B sales-growth engines report above-market growth and EBITDA increases in the range of 15 to 25 percent.- McKinsey & Company

Transforming Customer Experience: The Digital Makeover

People crave simplicity like a chocoholic craves chocolate. That’s why they’re obsessed with fancy gadgets, social media, and apps. The ultimate goal of digital transformation is to give your customers an experience that leaves them grinning like kids in a candy store, using the latest tech. Remember, according to Harvard Business School, customer experience is the numero uno goal of digital transformation – so make it count!

The global investment in digital transformation is expected to almost double between the years 2022 from 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars and 2025 to 2.8 trillion U.S. dollars.- Statista

 

Collaboration & Employee Experience: The Digital Team Spirit

Change can be as scary as facing a haunted house at midnight. That’s why the thought of a major digital transformation can send shivers down the spines of everyone from top executives to entry-level workers. But fear not, for there’s a silver lining: the potential for team unity! With clear communication and a focus on employee experience, you can turn that digital transformation monster into a team-building mascot.

digital-transformation

Skillset Updates: The Digital Workout

As technology evolves faster than a cheetah on roller skates, the need for specialized skills to keep up is paramount. So, it’s time for a digital workout. By providing ongoing training, you’ll not only help your employees flex their future skills but also give your company the in-house knowledge it needs to maintain its competitive edge in the digital age. Remember, a digitally fit workforce is a happy workforce!

Digitally transformed organizations are expected to contribute to more than half of the GDP by 2023, accounting for $53.3 trillion.

Consolidation of Processes & Operations: The Digital Symphony

One of the greatest gifts technology has given businesses is the ability to connect with others as easily as making a PB&J sandwich. By going digital, companies can unite their employees, infrastructure, and even social media, analytics, and project management interfaces. It’s like orchestrating a beautiful digital symphony that serenades your target audience.

Digital transformation isn’t just a blip on the radar – it’s the siren call of success and revenue in the modern world. Embrace these trends, and watch your company soar to new heights in the digital realm like an eagle wearing jetpacks. Now, go on and conquer the digital landscape like the tech-savvy superhero you are!

How Is Metaverse Reshaping The E-commerce Vertical

How Is Metaverse Reshaping The E-commerce Vertical?

by Artificial Intelligence

It’s the 21st Century and technology is changing by leaps and bounds every day. It’s no surprise that it has revolutionized how consumers shop – with over 4 billion people using the internet to make their purchases, e-commerce is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. But now, The virtual realm of the metaverse is upon us. As exciting as this may sound at first glance, it begs the question—how exactly are these technologies reshaping e-commerce?

In this blog post, you’ll get an up close and personal look at how metaverse (and VR) has ushered in a whole new era of shopping for online retailers – one that will take your business to heights you haven’t imagined!

What Is The Metaverse And Why It Is Important For E-commerce Marketing?

The metaverse is an expansive digital universe, usually accessed through a virtual reality headset or other devices, where users can create and inhabit avatars in alternate digital worlds. For e-commerce marketers, the metaverse presents a significant opportunity to engage and interact with customers beyond what’s possible in the traditional marketplace.

By offering immersive shopping experiences that break down physical boundaries while also allowing e-commerce providers to design interactive digital environments tailored specifically to their goods and services, the metaverse has opened up countless new opportunities for e-commerce marketing. The potential of e-commerce marketing using the metaverse is largely untapped at present, but as more worlds become available within it, there’s no telling what opportunities e-commerce marketers will be able to leverage in order to engage shoppers in new and exciting ways.

How Is The Metaverse Changing The Way People Interact With Brands Online?

The metaverse is revolutionizing user engagement with brands in the digital world – an entirely new dimension of interaction. One second you could be watching a virtual fashion show of your favorite designer, complete with runway models and realistic graphics, and the next, you could be entered into a user loyalty program to earn rewards from doing brand-related activities.

Nike’s recent launch of Nikeland on Roblox is an excellent illustration of how marketers can leverage the metaverse to create individualized experiences. The sportswear business gave its clients a new, immersive experience by providing an interactive arena where they could engage in games and develop their own using the offered toolbox.

 

Gamers were also allowed to dress their avatars with unique Nike items, demonstrating that businesses can market their products in various ways in the metaverse. This is one strategy that marketing professionals can use to boost brand stickiness.

 

This kind of gamification and experiential marketing was simply not possible before this technology emerged, but now user engagement with brands has changed drastically due to the introduction of the metaverse. It’s no wonder so many popular companies are turning to online platforms that incorporate this stunning technology!

Creative Ways To Use The Metaverse To Increase Online Sales

With the growing prevalence of virtual and augmented reality, businesses are looking to the metaverse as a new platform to increase online sales. To boost revenue and attract more customers, companies are beginning to incorporate creative ways such as 3D product testing, virtual showrooms and interactive shopping experiences into the metaverse.

A digitized copy of the Gucci purse cost more than $4,100. This is more expensive than the bag’s real retail price.

Research conducted by market experts reveals that incorporating these features can increase user engagement by up to 60%, resulting in higher conversion rates and ultimately leading to an increase in sales. Businesses should strive to explore innovative ideas on how they can best use the technologically-advanced metaverse as a tool for boosting their sales.

Strategies For Using Virtual Reality (VR) And Augmented Reality (AR) In E-commerce Marketing

E-commerce businesses have an exciting new opportunity to reach their target customers with the help of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). By integrating these innovative technologies, e-commerce marketers can create immersive experiences that connect shoppers to their products in a personal, exciting way.

VR and AR can be implemented in e-commerce marketing strategies in several ways, such as providing detailed product demonstrations, creating virtual showrooms, or delivering interactive product tutorials. The possibilities are almost limitless when it comes to VR and AR technology, opening up the creative potential for e-commerce businesses to explore unique campaigns that truly engage their customers.

Examples Of Successful E-commerce Campaigns That Used The Metaverse

Many companies have seen great success with e-commerce campaigns utilizing the metaverse. Companies such as BMW, Ralph Lauren, and Forever21 have used metaverse simulations to build awareness of new products and services. By providing interactive scenarios, often engaging with games and puzzles, customers were given opportunities to engage with their favorite brands in fun ways while still making purchases.

 

BMW Group- In December 2022, the company became one of the first automotive manufacturers to join the Metaverse Standards Forum.

Entering the Metaverse_ with the BMW iX1

All About the Metaverse: BMW Group Supplierthon

 

Ralph Lauren x ZEPETO digital fashion collection- For the first time, Ralph Lauren digital apparel will be available for purchase, the Company’s first entrance into virtual economies.

Ralph Lauren x ZEPETO digital fashion collection

Ralph Lauren digital fashion collection and virtual worlds with 3D avatar simulation

 

 

Forever 21 launched a virtual store for players to build and customize to become the “top shop”. Build your custom store, discover exclusive MetaMerch & play with friends.

forever21 metaverse

Forever 21 provides visitors with a digital store.

 

This resulted in significant boosts in customer acquisition along with increased brand loyalty. Additionally, companies using the metaverse for product launches gained a leg up on competitors by having early access to the latest innovations in virtual marketing techniques. Overall, the success of e-commerce campaigns leveraging the metaverse demonstrates how successful companies can gain an edge over competitors through the creative use of virtual media.

Best Practices For Using The Metaverse In E-commerce Marketing

As businesses increasingly turn to the metaverse to drive their e-commerce marketing campaigns, understanding and adhering to the best practices is key. Designing immersive experiences that capture shoppers’ attention and encourage them to linger is essential — after all, it’s much easier to influence a shopper who has already invested valuable time into exploring your virtual store than someone who simply clicks in and out of your website.

Strategic placement of VR objects, tailored messages that integrate into the natural flow of conversation, and engaging content are all must-haves for any successful e-commerce campaign in the metaverse. Additionally, providing clear navigation options will allow shoppers to easily get from point A to point B without becoming lost in this otherworldly universe. If you take these steps for your e-commerce marketing efforts in the metaverse, you’ll be sure to easily navigate this brave new world!

metaverse commerce- virtual models

The metaverse is an ever-evolving technology, and it’s up to marketers to keep up with the latest trends and use it in effective ways. However, the rewards of doing so are worth the effort. Companies can use the metaverse to create engaging, innovative experiences for their customers, who in turn will become loyal supporters of their brands that bring in increased sales.

If you’re looking for an edge in your e-commerce marketing strategies, consider incorporating the metaverse into your campaigns. With its variety of user-friendly applications, you can take advantage of both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to reach more potential buyers than ever before. Don’t miss out on this opportunity — reach out to e-commerce marketing experts at Griffon Webstudios today and let us help you maximize the impact of your ecommerce marketing endeavors.

Automation Tools to Make Your Business More Efficient

Automation Tools to Make Your Business More Efficient

by Artificial Intelligence

In the age of digital transformation, it can be difficult to keep up with all the new technology and tools available. AI and marketing automation are two of the most powerful tools that businesses can use to increase efficiency and generate more leads. Let’s take a look at some of the best AI and marketing automation tools on the market today.

Marketing Automation Tools

Marketing automation tools are designed to streamline common marketing tasks so you can focus your time on higher-value activities. Popular marketing automation tools include MailChimp, Hootsuite, and HubSpot. These platforms help you create, schedule, and track campaigns; manage social media accounts; capture leads; and optimize content for search engine optimization (SEO). They also provide detailed analytics reports so you can measure the success of your campaigns.

The latest marketing automation statistics show that the global market is projected to grow from $4,438.7 million in 2020 to $14,180.6 million in 2030 (Research and Markets, 2021).

MailChimp

MailChimp is a great option when it comes to automated email campaigns. It offers a wide range of features, including email list segmentation, automated emails based on user behavior, and tracking of open rates. MailChimp also provides detailed analytics so you can monitor how successful your campaigns are. Finally, it integrates with other platforms like Shopify and WordPress for an even more streamlined experience.

Crowdfire

Crowdfire is another great tool for automating your marketing efforts. It helps manage all of your social media accounts from one place and allows you to schedule posts in advance. Crowdfire also helps you track various metrics such as followers and engagement rate so you can see what content people are responding to best. Additionally, it has powerful features such as hashtag research and competitor analysis that will give you an edge over other marketers in your field.

HubSpot

HubSpot is a comprehensive platform that allows businesses to automate their entire customer lifecycle—from lead generation through sales conversion and post-purchase retention. Its Visual Workflows feature allows users to set up triggers that respond automatically when certain conditions are met—for example, sending an automated welcome email when someone signs up for a newsletter or offering discounts after a certain amount of time has passed since a purchase was made. HubSpot also provides detailed analytics so you can monitor how successful your campaigns are over time.

AI-Powered Chatbots

Chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming increasingly popular in customer service departments, as they provide customers with instant answers to their questions without requiring human intervention. There are many different types of chatbot software available, such as Flow XO, MobileMonkey, and Botsify. These platforms allow you to create custom chatbots with natural language processing capabilities to engage customers in conversations or provide quick answers to their inquiries.

ChatGPT

This is a powerful dialogue system developed by OpenAI that can generate natural-sounding conversations. It has been used for a variety of applications, from customer service chatbots to creative conversation experiences like in virtual assistants and voice-based games.

The primary benefit of ChatGPT is its ability to generate human-like conversations with minimal user input. By leveraging the power of natural language processing, ChatGPT can create conversations between two or more people on a wide range of topics – from mundane everyday chit-chat to complex philosophical debates.

Another major use case for ChatGPT is creating automated customer service agents. By automating customer support functions, companies can save time and money while improving the overall customer experience.

ChatGPT can effectively understand user queries and provide answers quickly and accurately, allowing companies to increase their efficiency while providing better services to their customers. This technology also has potential uses in various other fields such as education, healthcare, e-commerce, legal advice, etc., where it could be used to improve the accuracy and speed of responses given by professionals in these industries.

 

Cloud Storage Solutions

Cloud storage solutions such as Dropbox and Google Drive make it easy for teams to collaborate on projects from any location in the world. They offer secure data storage options with scalability so you don’t have to worry about running out of disk space or dealing with hardware failures. Plus, their integrations with other cloud services allow users to access their data from any device with an internet connection.

AI and marketing automation tools can be incredibly useful for businesses looking to increase efficiency and generate more leads. From automated email campaigns to AI-powered chatbots, there are plenty of options available depending on what your business needs are. Investing in these types of solutions will help you save time while maximizing your ROI—so why not give them a try?

How Is Artificial Intelligence Transforming Digital Marketing

How is Artificial Intelligence Transforming Digital Marketing

by Artificial IntelligenceDigital Marketing

Marketing has transformed dramatically with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). From an era of straightforward billboards or newspaper ads, marketers are now using AI to learn about customer behavior and predict their potential actions. This new level of insight allows them to be more responsive than ever before—and also helps them develop better strategies for reaching customers in the first place. But why is this happening now? And how can you take advantage?

AI can be used to improve the customer experience and target the right people at the right time, increasing conversions and reducing costs. AI is also helping improve data analysis tools, so marketers can make better decisions with more information at their fingertips. This is all to understand customer behavior and build stronger relationships in an era where personalization is the key to higher sales.

Automation in AI

AI can be used to automate repetitive tasks. For example, a machine learning algorithm could be trained to do it if a company needs to send out hundreds of emails. This makes sense since most people don’t enjoy repetitive tasks and would rather spend their time doing something else.

A similar argument can be made for data analysis, customer service and retention, satisfaction, and acquisition. AI in digital marketing also has the potential to help with sales by finding new customers based on essential characteristics such as age group or income level through targeted ad sales that effectively analyze and categorizes demographics from massive data dumps available on search engines, social media, and the landing pages of businesses everywhere.

Machine Learning and AI

Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence, but one that has specific uses in digital marketing. This type of data analysis can be used to make predictions about future behavior or outcomes, which helps improve the effectiveness and optimization of processes. It can also be used to make decisions (for example, by analyzing the results of previous campaigns) and recommendations based on user preferences.

This revolution is evidenced by advances like chatbots. These are useful tools for answering commonly asked questions. Businesses can use chatbots to answer simple questions and provide quick responses, like product information or store hours.

AI in Digital Marketing Enhances Outreach

Artificial intelligence can help businesses target the right people at the right time, increasing conversions and reducing costs. By better understanding your audience, you can deliver a more relevant message to them. AI also helps you understand what your customers want by analyzing their data. This enables you to create personalized experiences that improve engagement and boost sales.

The best part about AI is that it’s still evolving. A small advancement in something as minimal as delivering pop-up ads at the right moment could mean drastic sales differences for any business. Streamlining these AI processes is not a passion of the future. It is a critical part of any modern marketer’s bag of tricks.

Wrapping it Up

AI is an exciting and powerful tool that can help businesses of all sizes reap the benefits of digital marketing. This allows businesses of all sizes to engage customers in more high-value locations with the critical products and services they want the most. The more things can be personalized to the individual lead, the better the response rate and sales growth.

That is precisely what our team at Griffon Webstudios can do for your business. We have years of experience leveraging the latest advances with AI in digital marketing and can apply these innovations to your advertising, marketing, engagement, and messaging so you grow a more involved and loyal customer base. Reach out today, and let’s have a discussion about how AI can transform your operations.

SUPERCOMPUTER

Why Countries Are Competing To Build Supercomputers?

by Artificial Intelligence

Controlling supremacy in the technology world largely involves computers. Countries have realized this fact hence the effort in investing in supercomputers. Supercomputers are defined by speed and efficiency. Companies with a vision to lead different industries are at the forefront to acquire modern equipment and invest in fast processors.

The rapid changes in technology leave no room for delay in investment. While we still want to explore other factors to identify winners in different industries based on business strategies, nothing beats the investment in supercomputers.

The modern supercomputer

The size and performance of a supercomputer are compared to the size of a parking field with a capacity of 50 cars. The computation capability is immense; it takes a day to solve complex calculations that would take thousands of years with an average computer. However, personal computers are also improving in performance in the same way as supercomputers.

There are various terms you have to learn to understand how supercomputers work and how they differ from personal computers. A ‘bit’ is a unit of data measurement, ‘bytes’ is a measure of digital information storage and ‘flop’ is a measure of computation speed. Floating-point otherwise known as flop allows computers to process long numbers and post results within a short time. This is a distinguishing characteristic of supercomputers

Who controls the best supercomputers?

As mentioned, every country is keen to invest as much as they can in the development or acquiring fast processors that distinguish supercomputers from average computers. Of course, there are super economic powers in the globe that you will expect to be on top of this list. The United States, UK, Japan, China, and selected EU states battle for the top position in controlling supercomputers.

It is difficult to point out a specific country based on their investment level; however, we can filter these major players in the tech industry by analyzing the top supercomputers.

Here are the top 10 supercomputers in 2018

1. AI Bridging Cloud | Japan | 130 petaflops
2. Sunway TaihuLight | China | 93 petaflops
3. Tianhe-2 | China | 34 petaflops
4. SuperMUC-NG | Germany | 27 petaflops
5. Piz Daint | Switzerland | 20 petaflops
6. Gyoukou | Japan | 19 petaflops
7. Titan | United States | 18 petaflops
8. Sequoia | United States | 17 petaflops
9. Trinity | United States | 14 petaflops
10. Cori | United States | 14 petaflops

While featuring in the top 10 list of 2018 is big for any country, it does not amount to controlling the industry. The availability of resources and share of developing tools is key. On this basis, China beats all the countries. It enjoys a big share of supercomputers’ resources thus controlling the industry.

Why do countries compete for supremacy?

China hosts 500 supercomputers, which is way ahead of America’s 144 supercomputers. While how a country uses supercomputers matters more than the number, China still enjoys the top position by controlling 35% of supercomputers’ resources in the world. The United States of America follows at 30%.

Why all the statistics? Why are countries competing in developing the best supercomputers?

The answer is in the use of supercomputers. As mentioned, the distinguishing characteristic is the speed of solving long numbers. This is important in analyzing data in weather forecasting, nuclear weapons, biology, and astrophysics. Scientists and engineers of any country will benefit from the fast speeds hence boost innovation and efficiency in various industries.

High computation speeds increase the profitability of the private sector and boost service delivery in public sectors. A country’s economy is guaranteed to rise with supercomputers. Geopolitical standings and military accuracy and efficiency are also dependent on supercomputers. Countries are competing for supremacy in developing supercomputers because it is the future.

Breaking the exaflop barrier

Of course, the United States is not bowing to China, especially after the 2017 statistics. Soon after the 2017 results, President Obama launched the National Strategic Computing Initiative, which is a partnership between the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and the National Science Foundation.

The initiative comes along with huge funding to developers in the private sector to come up with the best processors in terms of speed and quality. The initiative targets to develop the first exaflop computer, known as Aurora, which is equivalent to 1,000 petaflops.

The computation speed is unimaginable; it is compared to 500 supercomputers and a trillion times faster than a personal computer. The exaflop computer is set to be released in 2021 to help with research and accuracy in the FBI, Homeland Security, and NASA.

The US government-funded channeled $600 million dollars to the development of the following exaflop computers.

  • ORNL System delivered in 2021 and accepted in 2022 (ORNL system)
  • LLNL System delivered in 2022 and accepted in 2023 (LLNL system)
  • ANL Potential System delivered in 2022 and accepted in 2023 (ANL system)
  • Definitely, China is also working on an exaflop computer, probably a more superior one.

 

Benefits of supercomputers

Scientists reap a lot from the continuous enhancement of supercomputers. Accuracy and high computation speeds are everything in research and decision-making in biology, security, agriculture, and other crucial fields in a country. The efficiency of artificial intelligence also depends on supercomputers.

AUGMENTED-REALITY-AR-IN-MARKETING

Augmented Reality in Marketing

by Artificial Intelligence

At the moment, Augment Reality (AR) is still new and under-explored. This novelty makes it the latest solution for sharing information. It is set to beat the amount print, online, and TV advertisements combined. AR can capture people’s attention for at least 85 seconds, raise interaction by 20%, and raise the click-through rate to buy by a further 33%. Soon it will be the mainstream and competition will rise—as is the case with all other industries.

With time, there will be more companies focusing on AR-inspired experiences. A rise in people incorporating AR into marketing will yield an equal rise in competition. The quality of campaigns will improve in quality as companies seek to impress audiences. Creativity will determine the best performing products. You will, therefore, need to improve your ingenuity and innovativeness to retain relevance.

Here’s Why Apple Acquired a Small Augmented Reality Startup

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook predicts that AR will become part of our daily lives. It is, therefore, of vital importance for marketers to learn how it works. Let us explore companies that already utilize the technology. These leading companies focus on innovativeness and are keen on taking risks on future technology.

Sephora

Purchasing products online is continuously easy and convenient for most people. However, there are certain products such as makeup, which needs trying on first. Women make up the target group for beauty products and face a problem of having to try on desirable products.

 

Sephora’s Virtual Artist App with ModiFace is an AR tool responsible that helps you view makeup on a similar face. Not only does the app reveal how your face will appear when you apply that product but also suggests tools you need. It also shows the appropriate equipment for application and things you would need to accompany the product.

Virtual Artist also reveals the long-term effects of the consistent use of skincare. This is not possible with beauty professionals.

 

Timberland

Many people are not fond of utilizing dressing rooms when shopping. They prefer to try outfits in the comfort of their homes. Most stores allow returning dresses, shoes, hats, and other items if they do not fit. As a result, many shoppers choose to purchase items but retain the right to return them if they are not satisfied. No one likes to carry a pile of clothes into a public dressing room and wait in a line.

Timberland created a virtual fitting room to help people who want to avoid the hassle in stores. It is, therefore, designed for convenience and comfort. Using Kinect motion sensing technology, the AR lets shoppers view their image. You can see a model body with your size in various outfits.

 

Home Depot

Decorating homes is trendy and exciting but very cumbersome and involving. It is not easy to predict the outcome of a color, for example. Working on your house requires a predictive image to confirm if you will like the results. Products may seem impressive online but fail to give you the level of satisfaction you expected. You may end up with a bathroom that is too bright due to the wrong kind of paint.

Furniture can also go wrong. A piece of furniture may fail to impress you. For example, you may purchase a bulky coffee table at a high cost that does not fit in your living room like you wanted. Going through the hassle of acquiring and transporting an item that does not fit is demoralizing.

Project Color App is Home Depot’s AR tool. It uses patent technology to depict the outcome of colors in rooms. The technology is capable of incorporating a variety of conditions. For example, it takes into consideration, the lighting, objects, and shadows in the room of choice. You can see the real version of your room and share with friends to help you assess it.

 

StubHub

For Super Bowl lovers, StubHub provided an AR feature on their mobile app. The app allowed ticket buyers to view a virtual 3D model of the U.S bank stadium. They could visualize their experience at the stadium before purchasing it.

The different views helped them select seats. Hesitant buyers could not resist the offer. Sales increased tremendously.

 

Pepsi

Pepsi is responsible for designing one of the most exciting tools with AR technology. The tool was made in a London bus shelter. One side of the structure appears as though thrilling objects such as flying saucers, and a tiger is headed for the commuters.

This AR technique was used to amuse the public. It reveals the playful personality of the company. It entertains the Londoners with an exceptional experience. A video of the shelter’s exceptional design made 6 million views on YouTube. This became the most viewed advertising campaign ever.

 

AMC Theaters

AMC Theaters sought to enhance delivery of latest movie trailers in time. When movie lovers come across a movie poster in a theater, they can launch the AMC app and scan the poster. They will instantly receive information about it and a trailer too.

Technology accuracy and timing has given mankind a vital piece of technology of the future.

AI

Advancements in Artificial Intelligence and it’s Future.

by Artificial Intelligence

Advancements in Artificial Intelligence

Technology is the backbone of everything we do or even say in our modern life. This has necessitated the advancement of technology even further. Artificial intelligence is the imitation of human intelligence in machines. It is the equipment of machines with the ability to assess their surroundings and react accordingly.

AI is the study as well as the design of systems that sense and understand their environment and act in ways that highly increase their chance of success.

By the end of 2018, more than 3 million workers globally will be supervised by a “robo-boss.” Robo-bosses will increasingly make decisions that previously could only have been made by human managers…

Investments in Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence borrows from natural intelligence which is what living things have. Machines are made by humans and due to the advancement in technology, human beings are always looking for ways to outdo themselves. Since the majority of brilliant minds are always inventing new ways of making life easier, major steps have been taken towards technological advancement.

Artificial intelligence covers a huge chunk of the technological field. Every day, there are new ways of approaching AI that is created amongst researchers.  

Major approaches of AI

Despite the many ways that are invented from one day to the next in artificial intelligence, they all borrow from the major approaches to AI. They deviate in a few ways but generally almost always achieve the same goal which is machines ‘thinking’ for themselves. The major approaches to artificial intelligence include:

  • Fuzzy logic
  • Neural network
  • Genetic Algorithm
  • PSO – Particle Swarm Optimization

 

businesses-are-in-a-constant-state-of-change-02

Fuzzy logic

What is Fuzzy Logic?

  • It is a powerful problem-solving methodology.
  • Builds on a set of user-supplied human language of rules.
  • Fuzzy Systems convert these rules to their mathematical equivalents.

This is the creation of intelligence in machines so that they use logical reasoning in executing their tasks. Human beings are known to use logical reasons in making their decisions and when they use fuzzy logic they are trying to design machines that emulate this behavior.

Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning

Currently, fuzzy logic is in the process of evolving even as human beings continue evolving. Machines are able to rationalize situations and come up with solutions promptly. The major advantage of this approach in machines is that they are not governed by their emotions and as such, they are able to make split-second decisions.

The advancement in this approach as a major approach to AI is that more machines are being manufactured and used instead of human beings to make crucial decisions. The machines are able to use a collection of attributes concerning the situation to get the most suitable solution.

The drawback to this approach is that the world is ever-changing and so are the factors to consider when mitigating a problem.

Fuzzy logic uses pre-existing conditions to give solutions. In the case where an alien factor is introduced at the last minute, the decision arrived at would most probably be a wrong one.

However, In the future fuzzy systems in machines will be able to make split-second decisions no matter when or how new factors are introduced to the system. Better ways of enhancing fuzzy systems are discovered daily and the future where your phone decides for you whether to pick a call or not is almost here.

Neural network

This approach imitates the functioning of the human brain. The artificial neural network is an exact copy of the human brain. It is, however, safe to presume that since it is the human brain that invents such a system, the human brain is still more superior. In the same way that the neural network in living things consists of neurons that analyze and send information, the concept is the same in machines with the only difference being that machines use artificial neurons.

Neural-Network

In the same way that human beings learn through repeated actions from time to time, the machines are taught in the same way. The machines are trained to identify similarities or patterns in all operations and they end up working as though a human was responsible for the thought process of the entire work. In the same way that human beings adapt to their surrounding as well as tolerate much of their surroundings, so do artificial neural networks. They are tolerant of the fault and they adjust accordingly to different situations.

Currently, machines that are reliant on neural networks for their operations are advancing in development. They think better than earlier machines and adapt easier. Machines nowadays stop operation in the case where only one component is not working, or they may choose to isolate the weak link and continue operating but at a lower capacity while sending a signal that one part is down. This emulates the way pain is in the mind. When we are in pain we may not move at all or we may slow down while doing normal activities while looking for ways to heal the broken parts.

In the future, our suitcases would be able to identify when we need to unpack and open them or they may ‘think’ we are on the move and follow us. In fact, such suitcases may already be in production. If this were the case, then in the future they may just go ahead and calculate how long you intend to stay away and recommend what to pack and where to put each item for maximum use of the available space. If this were to happen, human beings would be lazier than they are perceived to be right now.

Genetic Algorithm

Based on the evolution theory that living things evolved from simple organisms into more complex organisms, an idea was formed in the minds of brilliant scientists. Throughout the years, human beings have tried to establish the validity of the theory. Nevertheless, researchers and computer engineers decided to replicate the theory in machines to determine if it would hold.

Genetic Algorithm was developed to illustrate that natural evolution worked and continues to work. It is an algorithm used in machines to create machines that are intelligent from machines that are not.


There are four steps that summarize all Genetic Algorithm (GA) is all about:

  • A pool of solutions is generated to solve a presented problem.
  • The solutions that exist are mated to give new solutions
  • The current solutions are mutated in ways that are a replica of natural genetic variation
  • The weak population (machines that are not adapting well) are eliminated via natural selection.

Genetic Algorithm

This mechanism applies the mantra “survival of the fittest” in the machine world to get better and more sophisticated machines. In the past, if you needed to work on a machine you had to physically see it.

Currently, applications such as team viewer allow a person to remotely access a computer. Machines in the future may not need to have visible microprocessors in them. A wireless link may be developed such that a person may not need to physically see the machine to use it. An alternative would be to teach a machine to learn how to do things on its own based on the genetic algorithm in it.

Particle Swarm Optimization

It is an optimization technique that heavily relies on the behavior of different swarms. The setting is always a multi-dimensional search space. The algorithm uses repetition as well as speed and positions of the members of the swarm or in the case of machines, swarm particles. In machines, PSO is applied in the case where:

  • The machines are randomly placed in a search space.
  • They are then located in the search space
  • The objective task at each machine’s position is evaluated
  • A machine with the highest chance of succeeding at a task is identified and all other machines are adjusted towards performing just as well as the benchmark machine.

gamestat

In the effort of getting the intelligent machines, this technique is used to establish the machine with the highest probability of success and the assumption made is that all the other machines will be able to get the work done just as well as the benchmark machine.

Conclusion

AI in its elemental form is a fun way of using machines. It is very impressive to know that human beings invent better systems every day. However, in spite of the many things AI has and is yet to bring, the human race should remain active because, at this rate, machines may just take over the world.

Artificial-Intelligence-AI-in-Marketing

Can Artificial Intelligence Help Marketing Your Business?

by Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence or cognitive technology is by far the next big thing. The applications are limitless from retail, banking, finance, marketing, manufacturing among others. But, the adoption of artificial intelligence is being met with fears of job replacement.

For the online business person, Artificial Intelligence will bring a new dimension to how you do business. It will take over the process of marketing, leaving you to focus on providing customer support, and driving your business forward.

Will AI replace humans

How Does It Work?

The technology is powered by big data available on the internet. It searches through, billions, of unprocessed data, to draw insights, which you as a marketer can use. Unlike, existing software tools, limited by the data they can access, Artificial Intelligence will have access to all digital channels, and provide comprehensive insights into your marketing strategy.

What are the Potential Applications of Artificial Intelligence?

Cognitive technology is here to automate tedious task marketers do: These may include:

Selection of the Marketing Channel

Through new algorithms, you can know which marketing channel is most appropriate for the business. It analyzes the website and the products, to determine where to run your marketing campaign.

The new artificial intelligence tools only require your site’s URL to function. By making this process automatic, it can save you costs of using channels that don’t generate traffic.

Image Recognition

Pictures are the first thing the customers see before engaging with the ad, by reading the copy. New algorithms can analyze separate objects in an image. For, instance, the AI can allow customers to search for a dress they have spotted on a model.

AI Shopping

The algorithm will comb through pictures on the web, and provide users with a list of online businesses selling the item. Also, the AI can recognize objects in a video. This feature could change the way users interact with your ads and website.

Content Creation

The AI can allow marketers to generate an advertisement automatically. It can come up with ad banners, select the image, and write the copy. This feature can reduce the time you spend creating the perfect ad, and hasten the implementation of the marketing strategy.

During content creation, the cognitive technology will write content that is not plagiarized, and readable; however, the quality of writing is not that good, but they are available services that generate articles in seconds.

Customer Support and Chat Bots

Part of your marketing strategy must involve creating better engagements with the customers. Once you drive thousands of people to your website, they have many questions which a chatbot can answer.

The chatbots have machine learning capabilities and grow smarter with each user interaction. However, there is the need for human supervision, to provide extensive replies.

Sales Forecasting

Before launching your marketing strategy, you must predict future sales. The AI can use historical data to know your business and potential customers for generating scenarios, analyzing risk and prediction of outcomes of the strategy.

Sales and AI

The cognitive technology is not aiming to replace markers but to automate tedious, time-consuming and complicated tasks. The technology is still at infancy but, in the future, it will be the real deal. For example, Google is perfecting their algorithm to create a personal assistant.

Voice-search-is-changing-the-future-of-SEO

How Voice Search Is Changing the Future of SEO?

by Artificial Intelligence

 siri-760x400

Statistics from think with Google place voice search at 20%. Users are interacting with smartphones more than their computers, and Google is trying to provide quality mobile-friendly websites. Therefore, content marketers need to focus on mobile users more.

What Are the Pros of Using Voice Search?

voice-search-app-ss-1920On a mobile phone, it’s quicker to ask Google a question than to do manual typing. In some demanding scenarios like when driving; you can’t type in the query for directions, but the voice search feature is applicable and safer. Also, you can accurately express what’s on your mind by talking; rather than typing it down.

An Expert’s Take on the Impact of Mobile Search

During the Search Marketing Expo in March 2016, BehshadBehzadi, a Principle Engineer at Google delivered the keynote speech on the prospect of mobile search. According to Behshad, the future of search is the creation of an online virtual assistant. He also demonstrated the strides made by the search recognition technology, which has a high accuracy rate and an advanced capability of comprehending natural speech patterns. For instance, the voice recognition algorithm automatically removes repeated words and stuttering in speech. It’s able to recognize the user’s intent and display relevant content.

Google SearchThe Google search algorithm can understand long questions, and give the user accurate information. An example you may ask Google what the weather condition will be tomorrow and get the weather forecast based on your location. The voice search app talks back to the user; it’s like having a conversation with a real person. You can also set alarms using the action feature; play music, call someone, or book a reservation –providing users with a hands-free experience. Google has also improved the integration of voice search with other apps for increased productivity.

How will the new trend impact SEO?

It will place more demand for unique content that Google can use to answer voice queries. To rank higher; websites should focus on adding more pages that target both short-keyword phrases and long sentences queries. Also, existing content would require rewriting to incorporate longer sub-titles. The use of location-specific keywords would also increase since Google is focused on helping users interact with their immediate surroundings better.

How can Marketers and Content Creators Gain from Increased Mobile Search?

Understanding the difference between voice queries and typed searches is important. When typing on the computer, users will be less descriptive and focus on specific keywords. However, in a voice search, the user is free to add more details to the query creating a longer phrase. Content marketers need to add detailed descriptions to the products focusing on using real-world phrases. It’s also important to incorporate more versions of the keyword phrase in the content.

mobile search

Google wants to focus on providing the right user experience. The process of displaying search results is still the same. First, Google crawls the web and downloads web pages, analyses them, and stores them for retrieval during a search. What’s different is the focus on semantics or linguistic analysis in addition to the mobile-friendliness score. For better SEO webmasters need mobile-friendly sites; they will rank higher on the Google index. It’s also critical to avoid duplication of content and ‘spammy’ behaviors.

The reality of an online virtual assistant to automate daily mundane tasks is no longer a science fiction fantasy. In the future, instead of searching the web, we will be having a conversation with the internet.