Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform how public organizations and educational institutions operate, innovate and serve the needs of their constituents. When used strategically, AI can enable greater efficiencies, eliminate silos, strengthen cybersecurity and help organizations unlock the value of their data. AI is already being used as a vital tool in supporting remote work, work-from-home and learn-from home initiatives.
In education, use of AI is expected to grow by more than 45% between 2018 and 2024, according to Market Insights Reports. In government, AI solutions are expected to grow at a compound annual rate of more than 33% through 2024, according to IDC. A recent survey by Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence estimated the AI in government market at $4.904 billion as of 2019.
AI as a journey
The challenge for many organizations is determining where to start and how to identify use cases where AI can make an immediate impact. These challenges are exacerbated by a widely acknowledged AI skills gap in the workforce today. A poll by Ernst & Young revealed that 56% of AI professionals believe a lack of talent and qualified workers is the greatest single barrier to AI implementation.
Given these challenges, implementation of AI will be a journey for most organizations, but the key is to put the right IT foundation in place. For AI, the most critical element is already there: data, and lots of it. As Michael Dell has said, “If AI is the rocket ship, data is the fuel. A second element is the availability of modern IT infrastructure that enables organizations to put that data capital to work for them.”
Use cases for AI
Where are public organizations likely to start seeing immediate benefits and use cases? What are the opportunities they have to leverage AI with their own data and technology?
New AI opportunities are on the horizon for public sector environments. Here are several use cases to help organizations understand how peers are already reaping the benefits of AI.
Cybersecurity: AI and machine learning are incorporated within threat intelligence and detection solutions, using algorithms to detect patterns and help identify and act upon threats before they can do harm.
Student acquisition: Universities are using AI and data analytics to determine which students might need additional guidance and assistance to navigate resources and apply for enrollment and financial aid. Some are delivering AI-driven chatbot services to answer questions and help students find their way through complex enrollment and transition processes.
Scientific research: The University of Texas at Dallas has become a cutting-edge tier-one public research institution powered by high-performance computing clusters that enable advanced AI-powered research. Fields of study range from space science to cybersecurity, genomics to brain sciences, and political science to polymer science. As one example, researchers are using high-performance computers to develop a new way to extract more power from the wind.
Improve operations: Public sector and educational organizations increasingly use AI to gain insights from data on network operations and optimization. For example, university AI teams use AI and network analytics to pinpoint dormitories with high numbers of online gamers who require more network bandwidth.
Transportation: Sensors are being used to identify real-time traffic patterns and for pedestrian and object detection, preventative maintenance and risk assessment. In the future, autonomous vehicles will be critical to enhancing public transportation convenience and safety.
Differentiated and individualized learning: Forbes reported that companies are developing intelligent instruction design and digital platforms that use AI to provide learning, testing and feedback to students from pre-K to college level. This gives students challenges they are ready for, identifies gaps in knowledge and redirects to new topics when appropriate.
Smart cities: For example, Las Vegas is using AI and machine learning to increase public safety. It takes real-time data from sensors and devices across the city and combines it with historical data sets, such as for crime, weather and social media, to alert authorities of abnormal patterns. This insight is helping the city reduce response times for first responders, among other public benefits.
Looking ahead
There are many more examples of AI use cases, all over the Internet, for both now and the future. AI is helping governments and educational institutions support their constituencies in responding quickly and securely to remote work, work-from-home and learn-from-home requirements. As noted by Forbes:
“AI promises to be a galvanizing force” in supporting remote workers and remote learning environments. “Tools like AI-powered robot roaches, engagement tools and learning and development platforms will be essential” in supporting remote work productivity.
In education, AI is being used to help overcome language barriers in remote learning and helping teachers monitor student progress through AI-enabled learning capabilities incorporated in modern learning management systems, according to IoT For All.
In government, the World Economic Forum points out that AI is playing a key role in “better understanding and addressing the COVID-19 crisis, in areas such as scaling cluster communications, understanding how COVID-19 spreads and speeding up research and treatment.”
There is also the opportunity for educational institutions and government agencies to step forward and help address the skills gap in AI, through education and training programs, leveraging AI as a teaching tool and subject.
If AI is a journey, we are all at the beginning stage, even though the technology has been around for decades. It is only now that the perfect storm of data, technology, inspiration, expertise and market demands are all coming together to turn the promise of AI into a new reality for organizations of all types and sizes.
Are you ready to move forward on your AI journey? Get started by exploring how Dell Technologies can help make your journey smooth and successful:
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