Since then the re-birth and growth of the sector has rocketed and shows no signs of abating. Key to this has been the advancements in computing, with processing power now able to handle huge volumes of transactions affordable to all, and the advent of cloud services, where vast data sets can be stored and utilised.

These two facts have meant that capabilities of machine learning, where data sets are analysed to identify patterns, can be utilised in greater breadth and depth. The leading tech companies have taken this forward on an industrial scale and now offer AI services based on machine learning algorithms they have built and that can be utilised by anyone. Services such as image recognition, text understanding and speech translation are now mainstream, and that is only the beginning.

Consequently, AI has never been more affordable and accessible to organisations of any size. Coupled with the rise in automation platforms in recent years, the potential for AI and automation to be used to enhance business operations and to drive enhanced services for customers and employees is huge.

The big challenge now is how to utilise AI and automation. This should start with identifying the idea or opportunity before picking the technology and then getting into design and development. In reality the initial idea isn’t always straightforward – so much so, that many organisations either invest in the technology first and then find their projects run out of momentum as benefits and returns aren’t achieved, or initiatives are put on hold assuming that AI isn’t right for their organisation. Ideas, use cases, case studies and examples are in high demand at the moment as a result.