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Irish business use of AI to ‘increase significantly’

Some 40% of businesses say they have automated more processes due to pandemic

The uptake of artificial intelligence among Irish businesses is set to increase significantly in the next three years, a study has found.

According to data compiled by Expleo for its Business Transformation Index 2021 report, almost two-thirds of businesses in Ireland will be using artificial intelligence or machine learning by 2023. That is a significant increase from the 22 per cent who have implemented the technology to date.

The pandemic has been a driver in adoption of the technology, with 40 per cent of businesses saying they had automated more processes as a result of the pandemic, with one in five saying AI and machine learning was fundamental to the success of their business and 17 per cent believing that automation could help reduce Covid-19 backlogs.

“This research clearly signifies that we’re close to reaching a tipping point as the majority of Irish businesses turn to AI and machine learning to enhance service delivery, expedite processes and empower staff in the coming years. They have already embraced automation in a significant way to help overcome many business challenges caused by the pandemic,” said Rebecca Keenan, global head of process automation with Expleo.

“It’s particularly interesting to see how many business and IT leaders view AI and ML as being fundamental to their business success. This mirrors what we are seeing in Ireland and across the group globally today, as more and more businesses harness technology to implement necessary changes to remain competitive and agile.”

Robotic processes

Almost half of organisations said they believed they acted faster than their competitors when it came to introducing the necessary changes for the pandemic; that was an almost even split with the 42 per cent who said they were at a similar pace.

The majority – 87 per cent – said they believed their current leadership team had the skills to succeed in a post-Covid world

The survey, by TechPro on behalf of Expleo, of 200 business and IT leaders across the country found that over the next three years the technology would have a major impact on areas such as helping employees to focus on business-critical tasks, speeding up processes and cutting costs.

“These innovations are geared towards helping enterprises innovate at pace – particularly important as companies plan for post-pandemic growth,” said Ms Keenan. “For example, we are seeing deployments of robotic process automation being used as a stepping stone into more advanced solutions. Creating an ecosystem of technology, driving cost savings and efficiencies, combining both human and digital talent, is becoming more prevalent.”

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