Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are starting to be adopted by businesses across nearly every industry even though it's still a new technology, and there's no way of knowing all that it will enable us to do once it's matured. Here are 10 business functions that are ready to use artificial intelligence.

1. 10 Business Functions
That Are Ready To Use
Artificial Intelligence

2. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
IntroductionIntroduction
In the grand scheme of things, artificial intelligence (AI) is still in the very early stages of
adoption by most organizations. However, most leaders are quite excited to implement
AI into the company’s business functions to start realizing its extraordinary benefits.
While we have no way of knowing all the ways artificial intelligence and machine
learning will ultimately impact business functions, here are 10 business functions that are
ready to use artificial intelligence.
10 Business Functions That Are Ready To Use
Artificial Intelligence

3. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Marketing
If your company isn’t using artificial intelligence in marketing, it's already behind. Not only
can AI help to develop marketing strategies, but it's also instrumental in executing them.
Already AI sorts customers according to interest or demographic, can target ads to them
based on browsing history, powers recommendation engines, and is a critical tool to give
customers what they want exactly when they want it. Another way AI is used in marketing
is through chatbots. These bots can help solve problems, suggest products or services,
and support sales. Artificial intelligence also supports marketers by analyzing data on
consumer behavior faster and more accurately than humans. These insights can help
businesses make adjustments to marketing campaigns to make them more effective or
plan better for the future.

4. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Sales
There is definitely a side of selling products and services that is uniquely human, but
artificial intelligence can arm sales professionals with insights that can improve the sales
function. AI helps improve sales forecasting, predict customer needs, and improve
communication. And intelligent machines can help sales professionals manage their time
and identify who they need to follow-up with and when as well as what customers might
be ready to convert.

5. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Research and Development (R&D)
What about artificial intelligence as a tool of innovation? It can help us build a deeper
understanding in nearly any industry, including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, financial,
automotive, and more, while collecting and analyzing tremendous amounts of information
efficiently and accurately. This and machine learning can help us research problems and
develop solutions that we’ve never thought of before. AI can automate many tasks, but it
will also open the door to novel discoveries, ways of improving products and services as
well as accomplishing tasks. Artificial intelligence helps R&D activities be more strategic
and effective.

6. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
IT Operations
Also called AIOps, AI for IT operations is often the first experience many organizations
have with implementing artificial intelligence internally. Gartner defines the term AIOps as
the “application of machine learning and data science to IT operations problems.” AI is
commonly used for IT system log file error analysis, with IT systems management
functions as well as to automate many routine processes. It can help identify issues so the
IT team can proactively fix them before any IT systems go down. As the IT systems to
support our businesses become more complex, AIOps helps the IT improve system
performance and services.

7. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Human Resources
In a business function with “human” in the name, is there a place for machines? Yes!
Artificial intelligence really has the potential to transform many human resources activities
from recruitment to talent management. AI can certainly help improve efficiency and save
money by automating repetitive tasks, but it can do much more. PepsiCo used a robot,
Robot Vera, to phone and interview candidates for open sales positions. Talent is going to
expect a personalized experience from their employer just as they have been accustomed
to when shopping and for their entertainment. Machine learning and AI solutions can help
provide that. In addition, AI can help human resources departments with data-based
decision-making and make candidate screening and the recruitment process easier.
Chatbots can also be used to answer many common questions about company policies
and benefits.

8. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Contact Centers
The contact center of an organization is another business area where artificial intelligence
is already in use. Organizations that use AI technology to enhance rather than replace
humans with these tasks are the ones that are incorporating artificial intelligence in the
right way. These centers collect a tremendous amount of data that can be used to learn
more about customers, predict customer intent, and improve the "next best action" for the
customer for better customer engagement. The unstructured data collected from contact
centers can also be analyzed by machine learning to uncover customer trends and then
improve products and services.

9. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Building Maintenance
Another way AI is already at work in businesses today is helping facilities managers
optimize energy use and the comfort of occupants. Building automation, the use of
artificial intelligence to help manage buildings and control lighting and heating/cooling
systems, uses internet-of-things devices and sensors as well as computer vision to monitor
buildings. Based upon the data that is collected, the AI system can adjust the building's
systems to accommodate for the number of occupants, time of day, and more. AI helps
facilities managers improve energy efficiency of the building. An additional component of
many of these systems is building security as well.

10. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Manufacturing
Heineken, along with many other companies, uses data analytics at every stage of the
manufacturing process from the supply chain to tracking inventory on store shelves.
Predictive intelligence can not only anticipate demand and ramp production up or down,
but sensors on equipment can predict maintenance needs. AI helps flag areas of concern
in the manufacturing process before costly issues erupt. Machine vision can also support
the quality control process at manufacturing facilities.

11. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Accounting and Finance
Many organizations are finding the promise of cost reductions and more efficient
operations the major appeal for artificial intelligence in the workplace, and according to
Accenture Consulting, robotic process automation can produce amazing results in these
areas for the accounting and finance industry and departments. Human finance
professionals will be freed-up from repetitive tasks to be able to focus on higher-level
activities while the use of AI in accounting will reduce errors. AI is also able to provide
real-time status of financial matters to organizations because it can monitor
communication through natural
language processing.

12. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Customer Experience
Another way artificial intelligence technology and big data are used in business today is to
improve the customer experience. Luxury fashion brand Burberry uses big data and AI to
enhance sales and customer relationships. The company gathers shopper's data through
loyalty and reward programs that they then use to offer tailored recommendations
whether customers are shopping online or in brick-and-mortar stores. Innovative uses of
chatbots during industry events are another way to provide a stellar customer experience.

13. © 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

14. Title
Subtitle
Be the FIRST to receive news,
articles, insights and event
updates from Bernard Marr & Co
straight to your inbox.
Signing up is EASY! Simply fill out
the online form and we’ll be in
touch!
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved

15. BernardMarr
hello@bernardmarr.com
www.bernardmarr.com