Applied Intelligence Live! Austin: Where Smart Tech meets Human Innovation

“One clear takeaway from Applied Intelligence Live! Austin event is the demand for more on device intelligence is growing. Multiple factors are driving this trend to include reducing costly data transmission costs, enabling low latency response times, and minimizing security external threats. Through the incorporation of AI, the devices that sit at the IoT edge are becoming sharper and smarter and their use cases more impactful. This Artificial Intelligence of Things is becoming the new normal. It was wonderful that Applied Intelligence Live highlighted the interplay of these technologies and brought the AI and IoT ecosystems together in one venue so they can learn from one another and facilitate further collaboration.”

Josh Builta, Senior Research Director, Omdia, Applied Intelligence

“Generative AI is still a key trend in the industry that captured the fancy of the public, and now companies are taking a hard look at the technology. But they are treading cautiously about adopting ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) until they can be sure they can trust the output. Responsible AI is the buzz among enterprises today, and they are also experimenting with fine-tuning these models with proprietary company information for more accurate outputs and also to maintain privacy. Companies are developing smaller, domain-specific language models by fine-tuning general-purpose LLMs, because these are much cheaper and easier to deploy. Lastly, their concerns about not having an AI-adept team is offset by the accessibility of generative AI, which uses natural language prompts, as well as the rising trend of low- and no-code development.”

Deborah Yao, Editor, AI Business

“There were two key IoT themes that emerged from Applied Intelligence Live! Austin event for me. The first was the importance of the convergence of artificial intelligence and IoT and how this will reshape the edge and even the cloud.  Many presenters and panelists spoke enthusiastically about what this means for the future of industry. They laid out compelling reasons why the IT decision maker must continue to keep their pulse on advancements in the industry as the future is nearer than many would have predicted even several years ago.

Secondly, what can be achieved now through simple implementations that do not require a grand vision of AI and IoT converging. Enterprises can achieve meaningful results such as cost savings with simple IoT implementations such as smarter building controls that turn off lights or adjust heating/air conditioning when rooms are not occupied. Out-of-the-box fleet management systems can save time by better routing drivers and reducing fuel costs. Fairly simple sensors can be used to not only track assets but provide insight not only where the assets is but also into the condition (temperature, humidity, impact, ect) the asset was in during transport.

These solutions are all readily available from vendors and can positively impact enterprises’ operations and ultimately their balance sheets.”

John Canali, Principal Analyst, Omdia, Applied Intelligence

“Much of the conversations at Applied Intelligence Live! Austin focussed on software, and the general consensus that software is driving hardware now to an extent that it simply never has before. A software driven IoT (and AIoT) requires powerful, flexible hardware to enable it to run seamlessly and freely. That hardware can either be powerful enough to handle a wide variety of software applications or be designed with scalability as a priority.

Power profiles and maximizing battery life were also discussed more generally, both explicitly and implicitly; innovation in the IoT is almost invariably along the lines of doing more with less power, with connectivity standards for example competing to move the most data with the lowest latency for the least power consumption."

Edward Wilford, Senior Principal Analyst, loT, Omdia, Applied Intelligence

“There was much discussion around ethical, responsible, and trustworthy AI, with several speakers at Applied Intelligence Live! Austin highlighting the importance of AI that aligns with human values and social good. The discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities of AI governance, regulation, and accountability.

The event showcased the use of these technologies across various industries and domains, such as healthcare, education, smart cities, manufacturing, retail, and entertainment, with insights on how these technologies can solve real-world problems and create value for businesses and society.

Synergy and convergence of AI and IoT were key themes. There was good examination of the potential and limitations of these technologies, as well as the best practices and frameworks for integrating them. The convergence of AI and IoT highlighted how we are seeing greater intelligence moving to the edge, given that IoT is highly decentralised-and that AI will play an important role in both training and inference at the edge - while also recognising that it is vital that AI is explainable and therefore accountable.

Overall, the event showcased the latest trends, developments, and applications in AI, IoT while also highlighting the importance of ethical, responsible, and trustworthy AI.”

Andrew Brown, Practice Lead, IoT, Omdia, Applied Intelligence

“Practical quantum computing is already a reality, making an impact in several sectors and solving problems that classical computers alone would struggle with. While quantum computers existed mostly in labs in the past, all of the big tech giants are now participating in the quantum ecosystem.

However, three main areas need development to achieve true commercial quantum computing and irrefutable quantum advantage: new qubit modalities, error correction or mitigation, and refining applications to specific hardware. 

The commercial side of businesses has a role in steering this development. It needs to start thinking about how to use the technology and partner with the ecosystem. Retraining the workforce will be vital to ensuring there will be a sufficiently skilled quantum workforce.

Quantum computing and AI are a natural fit and organizations will increasingly use them together to solve business problems. Quantum processing units (QPUs) working alongside CPUs and GPUs can unleash new processing power.

While some people worry about the unintended consequences of emerging technologies, foreseeing a Terminator-style “rise of the machines” from quantum computing-powered AI, history demonstrates that they are more likely to introduce a societal shift.”

Berenice Baker, Editor, Enter Quantum

“Applied Intelligence Live! Austin was a great event; the presentations were informative and plenty of thought leadership.  It was exciting to hear about AI’s advancements and pitfalls, as well as potential regulations to come in this area. AI will continue to ramp up as a key driver of many industries, and its proliferation will impact all aspects of our society.  It’s important that appropriate steps are taken to ensure it’s used properly.  The networking event afterwards was also invaluable as it allowed extended discussions.”

Michael Yang, Senior Director Research, Omdia, Applied Intelligence