• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, October 1, 2018

The most effective ways to use artificial intelligence in business may be less about looking for new methods to increase sales and more about improving customer engagement and loyalty.

While many in business see AI as a way to automate tasks, others view it as a way to find better customer insights from data, according to a new study.

Using artificial intelligence to surface consumer insights from massive data sets is the top benefit that would make the most immediate business improvements, according to nearly half (48%) of business leaders. Other AI benefits expected to make the most immediate business improvements are automating routine responsibilities (32%), although 20% do not believe that AI can make an immediate impact.

The study comprised a survey of 680 U.S. senior-level decision makers with responsibilities in marketing, technology or operations, conducted by Globant.

Of the 80% of businesses that think AI can make an immediate impact, 40% are interested in using AI to enhance tasks already done by humans.

The reality is that these are still the early days of the mass adoption of artificial intelligence.

Businesses are at different phases of dealing with AI, with 40% at the discovery phase, 33% considering possible vendors, 21% having selected a vendor and 7% having tried a vendor and already moved on to another. AI still has plenty of room to grow.