Whey Aye Robot

When many of us picture AI (Artificial Intelligence) we see scenes of intelligent robot armies, taken over by the ‘bad guys' for world domination, much like a scene from the movie iRobot.

Whilst our human efforts to automate technology are both deeply impressive and developing extremely quickly, we are thankfully still some time away from robot armies.

AI is however becoming an increasingly powerful component within our wider technology landscape and solutions. Microsoft, Amazon, Google and the major industry players are investing huge amounts into its development and it’s very easy to see why.

Whilst attending this summer’s annual Microsoft Partner conference, I witnessed first hand how AI is being used to solve humanitarian issues (such as helping to predict famine areas and co-ordinate a pro-active response), accessibility issues (building apps which describe documents, scenes, faces or even bank notes for the low-vision community) and global climate issues (such as detecting and tracking pathogens to prevent outbreaks and protect biodiversity).

It was both inspiring and breath-taking how impactful these AI-driven solutions could be and how positively they are impacting on so many diverse global communities. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel concerned that, like any breakthrough technological advances, AI could so easily be harnessed for all the wrong reasons and used highly effectively by those with criminal or malicious intent.

At Synergi, AI is a strong focus within our cloud technology solutions. Today, platforms like Microsoft PowerApps have embedded AI capabilities that enable us to build business apps that can recognise product lines from a photo taken on a device, or optimise a delivery route based on a combination of load, droppoint, current and predicted traffic volumes. Automation and AI are enabling us to build intelligent apps for customers that will empower their organisations into tomorrow’s world.

We are witnessing the impact of powerfully transformative technologies such as AI, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things (IoT) and Mixed Reality. As a business we remain highly optimistic about the role of these technologies and their benefits to society but at the same time we recognise and take very seriously our responsibility as a solutions provider which is why, alongside other leading Microsoft Partners, we have signed a pledge to help ensure that we help customers to develop and adopt these technologies in a deep and ethical way whist ensuring that everyone possesses the right skills to and opportunity to make the most of what’s ahead.