‘Don’t be afraid of AI’: Daniel Pitchford on how businesses can demystify new technology

“With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the devil.” So said Tesla chief and all-round tech titan Elon Musk back in 2014. Pitchford set up AI Business, an “online content portal for artificial intelligence and its real-world applications” back in 2014 with the intention of demystifying AI for businesses and trying to cut through some of the more hyperbolic beliefs about AI. “Whether it is AI or whether it is the industrial revolution – whatever the change is – that is what people fear because humans don’t really like to change. “A lot of people think AI is going to change the world and if they plug a piece of software or application on top of what they are already doing their business is going to transform overnight, and then end up bitterly disappointed when it isn’t,” he says. Over the last two years, Asia has overtaken Europe in terms of the amount being invested by enterprises and businesses in the adoption of AI whereas two years ago, Europe was ahead.” He says that China’s rapid emergence can be explained by the level of investment the Chinese government is putting into AI with latest estimates placing it as high as $300bn : “As you move from innovation to implementation there is a massive opportunity which they are acutely aware of, hence the investment they are pouring in.” Such is the rate of change in AI development and implementation, it would be foolish to bet on any one nation or region becoming the dominant power just yet.