Nearly 80% of industrial companies lack the knowledge or capacity to successfully use artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report from the Massachusetts-based enterprise software vendor Aras.
Despite this unpreparedness, 84% of companies expect AI to provide new or better services, while 82% expect an increase in quality. These findings come from “Spotlight on the Future 2024,” a survey of 835 executive-level experts across the United States, Europe, and Japan conducted in December 2023.
To develop the capacity to use AI, companies need to address specific skill gaps, including capacity bottlenecks (79%), lack of knowledge (77%), reliance on isolated IT applications (75%), and existing data quality concerns (70%), the study showed.
In another finding, the study showed a growing recognition of the important role that high-quality data plays in driving successful AI use within enterprises. But many survey respondents acknowledged that their data quality is not enough to achieve their company's goals. Specifically, study participants said they rely primarily on datasets such as product data, quality control data, production data, or customer data.
“Adapting and modernizing the existing IT landscape can remove barriers and enable companies to reap the benefits of AI,” said Roque Martin, CEO of Aras, which is a provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) and digital thread solutions. "Companies that are already using a flexible and modern PLM are much better prepared for the challenges of new, data-intensive technologies, leveraging AI to their benefit.”
