The beginning of AI is shrouded with myths, stories, and rumors of artificial beings endowed with intelligence or consciousness by master craftsmen. One of the first formal beginnings of AI research was at a workshop held on the campus of Dartmouth College, USA during the summer of 1956. This was followed by an AI winter around 1974 when the US government withdrew all funding for AI research. This changed eventually when the Japanese government showcased major progress and heavily funded this field. The boom that we see today started in the first decade of the 21st century and of course, we are now at a point where AI impacts all areas of our lives and jobs. 

AI has been a hot topic for many decades now but its relevance for all data professionals is more today than it has ever been in the past. Recently, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion hosted by Fresh Gravity on “Exploring the AI Frontier in Data Management for Data Professionals’. The panelists for the discussion, a group of talented data professionals with vast knowledge and in-depth experience, were Ayush Mittal (Manager, Data Science & Analytics – Fresh Gravity), Siddharth Mohanty (Sr Manager, Data Management – Fresh Gravity), Soumen Chakraborty (Director, Data Management – Fresh Gravity), and Vaibhav Sathe (Director, Data Management – Fresh Gravity). 

It was an opportunity to provide some thoughts and pointers on what we, as data professionals, should gear up on to be able to leverage various opportunities that AI-driven tools are providing and are expected to provide to enhance the value proposition we offer to our clients, help us perform our work smarter, and spend more time and effort on the right areas, instead of laboring over activities that can be done quicker and better by leveraging AI offerings. 

To summarize I would like to list some key take aways from this insightful session – 

• We all are experiencing the impact of AI in our everyday lives. The ability to harness and understand the nuances and be able to utilize the options (like personalized product suggestion in retail websites) can make our lives simpler, without allowing AI to control us
• Cybersecurity is a key concern for all of us. AI can detect and analyse complex patterns of malicious activity and quickly detect and respond to security threats
• Optimizing the use of AI can be a huge differentiator in delivering solutions for clients – where some of the tools that can be leveraged are StackOverflow, CoPilots, Google and AI driven data modelling tools
• For Data Management, with the huge volume and variety of data an organization has to deal with, the shift has already started. By using more AI-driven tools and services, organizations can ensure quicker insights, transformations, and movement of data across. This trend will only accelerate going forward
• AI will have a direct impact on improving the end user outcomes with speed of delivery and quality of data insights and predictions. What we see now is just the beginning of the huge shift in paradigm in the way value is delivered for the end user
• Establishing ethical usage of data and implementing Data Governance around data usage is key to AI success
• Everyone need not understand the code behind AI algorithms but should understand its core purpose and operational methodology. Truly harnessing the power of any AI system hinges on a blend of foundational knowledge and intuitive reasoning, ensuring its effective and optimal use
• Some upskilling and curiosity to learn are essential for each role (like Business Analysts, Quality Assurance Engineers, Data Analysts, etc.) to be able to take advantage of the AI-driven tools that are flooding the market and will continue to evolve
• While some of us may dream of getting back to an AI-less world, some are embracing the new AI-enabled world with glee! The reality is that AI is here to stay, and the way we approach and adapt to this revolution will determine whether we can benefit while staying within the boundaries of ethical limits

Fresh Gravity has rich experience and expertise in Artificial Intelligence. Our AI offerings include Deep Learning Solutions, Natural Language Processing (NLP) Services, Generative AI Solutions, and more. To learn more about how we can help elevate your data journey through AI, please write to us at info@freshgravity.com or you can directly reach out to me at Sudarsana.roychoudhury@freshgravity.com.