The Business Implications of Artificial Intelligence

Barbara Peng, Vice President of Research at Business Insider, moderated a panel of AI experts who discussed current and potential future uses of AI. Panel members were Brian Brackeen, Founder and CEO of Kairos, Hassan Riggs, Founder of Smart Alto, and Richard Wright, Director of Advanced Technology and Innovation for Lockheed Martin.

Because AI enables machines to analyze large amounts of data in moments, or can perform and continue to learn mundane tasks, humans can spend time using skills and talents to focus on tasks that require insight, common sense and an understanding that cannot be programmed.

Current uses of AI include the facial recognition technology of Brackeen’s company to analyze responses of movie audiences as they watch, or Riggs’ text message robot technology that helps real estate agents respond to leads. Wright also discussed the opportunities for biomedical sensors in clothing to help athletes enhance their performance or soldiers better prepare for conditions they will encounter by evaluating nutritional, hydration and physical needs.

Industries most likely to benefit from AI include healthcare, cybersecurity, e-commerce, automotive technology, the legal profession, marketing and manufacturing, according to the panel.

Challenges that will be faced as AI is further developed include privacy concerns and limits on the use of data businesses collect using AI. These challenges will be difficult, said Brackeen, who serves on an industry task force to identify standards for facial recognition. “We did not make much progress at a recent meeting because we couldn’t move past the first suggestion that no child should be screened with facial recognition,” he said. “As an industry representative, I had to point out that we don’t know it’s a child until we screen.”