Will Artificial Intelligence solve many of the challenges of Big Data?

Deloitte recently released their always thought provoking Annual Technology Media and Telecommunication predictions report.  Among a number of interesting predictions, Deloitte forecasts that by the end of this year more than 80 of the world’s 100 largest enterprise software companies will have integrated cognitive technologies into their products.

This "Cognitive Wave" will undoubtedly transform the capabilities of many enterprise software products and provide a myriad of new opportunities for people and businesses that use these products.  One particular area that these new technologies have potential to make a huge impact is in relation to Big Data.

We see so much written and hear so much discussed about the promise and human challenges of realizing the full potential of Big Data but is it possible that Cognitive Technologies or Artificial Intelligence (AI)  are actually going to solve many of these challenges in the coming years?

For example, machine learning, a subset of AI, defined by the report as, the ability of computer systems to improve their performance by exposure to data, without the need to follow explicitly-programmed instructions, is able to quickly analyse and enhance a large array of applications, from classification to prediction, as well as from anomaly detection to personalization. The application of machine learning at scale, to many of the huge, unstructured data sets available to many businesses and institutions, could solve the key problem of deriving the most valuable insight from that data, quickly and with confidence.

Automation is another area that can have a huge impact; cognitive technologies make it possible to automate tasks formerly done by people.  Deloitte's report cites the example of a medical software company using a natural language processing engine to interpret doctors’ free-text notes and extract key data such as allergies, medications and diagnoses.  The impact this could have on the health system and the current challenges health professionals have in accessing the fullest picture and understanding of a patient, including all of their medical history, is in itself mind blowing, not to mention life saving.

If you would like to read more about Cognitive Technologies or the fascinating technology trends that will impact our lives in the coming years you can download a copy of the report here 2016 http://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/technology-media-and-telecommunications/articles/tmt-predictions-2016.html.