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OPINION
" AI , ML , Robotics , VR and AR may not seem relevant now , but there ’ s little doubt that each has the potential to offer significant competitive advantages "
personnel ’ s helmets might include a visual display of any particular building being attended , enabling them to move more quickly and safely around a fire site . In a commercial environment , a furniture provider could let customers preview an item in their home before buying it .
Machine leaning ( ML ) ML is the ‘ clever ’ part of AI that allows an application to become more intelligent and , hence , more accurate . An example of this is an internet search engine , where machines ‘ learn ’ to link certain search terms with others . If an initial search is made for ‘ Charles Dickens ’, a follow-up search that starts ‘ Ol ’ will auto complete ‘ Oliver Twist ’ and bring back these results .
Robotics RPA ( Robot Process Automation ), is software that is programmed to do simple and repetitive tasks previously carried out by humans . For example , processing forms filled out online , checking that all the right details are present , and sending an acknowledgement to the relevant people .
Virtual reality ( VR ) VR is the computer-generated , three-dimensional simulation of an image or an environment with which one or more persons can interact – normally through the use of specialised devices , such as headsets , to give virtual tours of things such as new cars , houses or any kind of shopping environment .
Augmented reality ( AR ) AR combines the real world with overlaid digital information to assist the user in a particular task . For example , fire
One common denominator All of these technologies have one thing in common . They all require mass amounts of data to be stored , processed and analysed – and quickly – in order to work . According to IDC research , the global ‘ datasphere ’ will reach 163 zettabytes by 2025 , thanks in no small part to the growth of Intelligent Automation technologies . But legacy data centres present a roadblock to this , threatening to hinder the potential advantages and real business benefits these technologies can bring .
On the front foot There will need to be a major rethink as to how servers , storage and networks are designed to best meet the demands of large dataset logistics . That is to say that the data creation , processing , movement , storage , retrieval and archiving tasks associated with AI , VR and the rest , will place an increased emphasis on the need for speed , reliability , agility and overall IT optimisation .
Although Artificial Intelligence , Machine Learning , Robotics and Virtual and Augmented Reality might not seem relevant to your organisation right now , there ’ s little doubt that each has the potential to offer significant competitive advantages . It ’ s important that businesses start planning the infrastructure they will need to support them now , or risk being caught flat-footed in the future . n
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