Envisioner | August 2019 Envisioner August 2019 | Page 15

The time may have finally come for ar-
tificial intelligence (AI) after periods of
hype followed by several “AI winters” over
the past 60 years. AI now powers so many
real-world applications, ranging from
facial recognition to language translators
and assistants like Siri and Alexa, that we
barely notice it. Along with these consum-
er applications, companies across sectors
are increasingly harnessing AI’s power in
their operations. Embracing AI promises
considerable benefits for businesses and
economies through its contributions to
productivity growth and innovation. At the
same time, AI’s impact on work is likely
to be profound. Some occupations as well
as demand for some skills will decline,
while others grow and many change as
people work alongside ever-evolving and
increasingly capable machines.
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