Latest news with #GenAI
Zawya
26 minutes ago
- Business
- Zawya
AI is all about doing more with less and opens the door to new possibilities
In 2025 and the second half of this decade, artificial intelligence (AI) will become a defining measure of South African businesses' success. Today, the technology touches every corner of the modern enterprise, from sales and marketing to administration and finance. According to a survey conducted by Ipsos for Google, AI usage is up in South Africa compared to 2024, with excitement about its potential now outweighing concern. Over half of the surveyed South Africans report they've used generative AI (GenAI) in the last year. Author: Werner Joubert, commercial SYS director (South Africa & SADC) at Asus This level of adoption reflects the impact of AI not only in large multinational enterprises, but also in small-to-medium businesses, fledgling entrepreneurs and lone professionals who see the technology's potential at any scale. Technology vendors have responded to this by creating an ecosystem of systems and solutions that help businesses leverage AI to unlock new value. With the right strategic implementation, enterprises can turn potential into performance. AI at any scale for any business So, how is AI all about doing more with less? At its core, AI is an exercise in automation. It eliminates the need for employees and professionals to carry out manual, repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Some of the most common AI uses in the enterprise today, regardless of the size or scale, include: - Schedule optimisation: Companies can use AI tools to optimise scheduling by consolidating factors such as employee availability, skills, preferences and customer traffic. For example, a business like a coffee shop can determine who and how many employees they need available to meet demand levels throughout the day. - Customer service: Chatbots and other conversational AI tools can provide business customers with additional support and serve as a dedicated portal for addressing queries. - Finance: GenAI platforms, backed by large language models (LLMs) that specialise in accounting, cash flow and taxes, can help employees process transactions and invoices more quickly, while also reducing the potential for data entry errors. - Personalisation and content creation: Every business has the potential to be unique. Using GenAI tools to create tailor-made content and promotional material, businesses can put their stamp on the landscape while offering high levels of customisation based on customer preferences, behaviours and market trends. From there, the potential applications of AI expand to cover all enterprise functions, across every industry vertical, from education to healthcare. As a business driver, AI has proven to be incredibly versatile and scalable, with businesses integrating it into their organisations in whatever way, shape or form they see fit. They're able to do that with the help of state-of-the-art hardware and digital resources that make AI accessible like never before. The right kind of tech? For many businesses in South Africa, AI adoption does not involve investing large sums of money in training their own models or running expansive cloud computing environments. Not every enterprise requires the same level of digital infrastructure to run and evolve. For many, the value of AI lies in simple integrations and the use of cutting-edge products that are readily available. We see this with the likes of Gemini and Midjourney, but the AI revolution has also given rise to innovative platforms and services that blend seamlessly and are work with existing enterprise hardware. One such example is Copilot, an AI-powered chat service from Microsoft that generates content and automates tasks, while also supporting users of other Microsoft technologies such as Windows, Microsoft 365 and GitHub. It is accessible via web browsers on multiple operating systems, including Windows and macOS, and is also integrated into tools like Windows and Microsoft 365. It offers general AI assistant capabilities that can help enterprise users significantly improve and enhance their workflows. Through services such as Copilot, technology vendors have begun to refine their value offerings and provide customers with solutions that are designed, built and optimised for AI in the enterprise. Laptops are now available with dedicated AI chips and OEM platforms and applications that further empower businesses and professionals. This is AI made accessible, and it has the power to transform enterprises of all shapes and sizes. AI is how we do more with less. It's also how we do more with what we have. By evaluating the value proposition of AI features and understanding the gains they offer, enterprises can not only make their organisations more intelligent, but also help employees and professionals get the most out of their hardware, adopt the latest practices and take their ideas and businesses into the future.
Channel Post MEA
5 hours ago
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
NTT Data: CEOs And CISOs Not Aligned On GenAI Adoption
NTT DATA has launched its new report, 'The AI Security Balancing Act: From Risk to Innovation,' highlighting the opportunities and risks AI presents in cybersecurity. The findings show a misalignment among C-Suite leaders when it comes to business goals and operational readiness for GenAI deployment. The report, which includes data from an NTT DATA survey of more than 2,300 senior GenAI decision makers, comprising 1,500 C-Suite leaders across 34 countries, found that while CEOs and business leaders are committed to GenAI adoption, CISOs and operational leaders lack the necessary guidance, clarity and resources to fully address security risks and infrastructure challenges associated with deployment. The C-Suite disconnect Nearly all (99%) C-Suite executives are planning further GenAI investments over the next two years, with 67% of CEOs planning significant commitments. In parallel, 95% of CIOs and CTOs report that GenAI has already driven, or will drive, greater cybersecurity investments, with organizations ranking improved security as one of the top three business benefits realized from GenAI deployment in the last 12 months. Yet, even with this optimism, there is a notable disconnect between strategic ambitions and operational execution with nearly half of CISOs (45%) expressing negative sentiments toward GenAI adoption. More than half (54%) of CISOs say internal guidelines or policies on GenAI responsibility are unclear, yet only 20% of CEOs share the same concern – revealing a stark gap in executive alignment. Despite feeling cautious about the deployment of GenAI, security teams still acknowledge its business value. In fact, 81% of senior IT security leaders with negative sentiments still agree GenAI will boost efficiency and impact the bottom-line. Organizational operations not ready for GenAI NTT DATA's research further reveals a critical gap between leadership's vision and the capabilities of their teams. While 97% of CISOs identify as decision makers on GenAI, 69% acknowledge that their teams lack the necessary skills to work with the technology. In addition, only 38% of CISOs say their GenAI and cybersecurity strategies are aligned compared to 51% of CEOs. Adding to the complexity, 72% of organizations surveyed still lack a formal GenAI usage policy and just 24% of CISOs strongly agree that their organization has a robust framework for balancing risk with value creation. Legacy tech limiting GenAI adoption Beyond internal misalignment, 88% of security leaders said legacy infrastructure is greatly affecting business agility and GenAI readiness, with modernizing IoT, 5G and edge computing identified as essential for future progress. To navigate these obstacles, 64% of CISOs are prioritizing co-innovation with strategic IT partners rather than relying on standalone AI solutions. Notably, security leaders #1 top criteria when assessing GenAI technology partners is end-to-end GenAI service offerings. 'As organizations accelerate GenAI adoption, cybersecurity must be embedded from the outset to reinforce resilience. While CEOs champion innovation, ensuring seamless collaboration between cybersecurity and business strategy is critical to mitigating emerging risks,' said Sheetal Mehta, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Cybersecurity at NTT DATA, Inc. 'A secure and scalable approach to GenAI requires proactive alignment, modern infrastructure and trusted co-innovation to protect enterprises from emerging threats while unlocking AI's full potential.' 'Collaboration is highly valued by line-of-business leaders in their relationships with CISOs. However, disconnects remain, with gaps between the organization's desired risk posture and its current cybersecurity capabilities,' said Craig Robinson, Research Vice President, Security Services at IDC. 'While the use of GenAI clearly provides benefits to the enterprise, CISOs and Global Risk and Compliance leaders struggle to communicate the need for proper governance and guardrails, making alignment with business leaders essential for implementation.'
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Gen AI adoption in India nearly universal, but training alone unlikely to bridge skills gap, says AWS survey
98% of organisations in India are using Generative AI tools and most are developing Gen AI training plans, but there is a limited understanding of employees' skilling needs, according to a study commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in collaboration with Access Partnership. The study that surveyed 415 senior IT decision-makers in India across industries noted that 83% of organisations in India have appointed a dedicated AI executive, usually a Chief AI Officer (CAIO), to focus on adoption and implementation. Another 15% are planning to do so by 2026, according to the survey. However, the surveyed IT decision makers cited challenges such as limited understanding of employees' Gen AI skilling needs, uncertainty about effective implementation, and budget limitations. 'Given these limitations, training alone is unlikely to bridge the skills gap,' noted AWS in a press note. Even so, Generative AI talent is expected to be in widespread demand in almost all organisations in India, per the survey. AWS shared it had launched a Generative AI Innovation Center through a $100 million investment in order to help organisations access AWS AI expertise and experts through free workshops and training. AWS previously said it planned to invest $12.7 billion into cloud infrastructure in India by 2030. Between 2016 and 2022, AWS invested $3.71 billion in India. 'We see a growing recognition of AI as a transformative technology that requires strategic leadership at the highest levels and a structured approach to change management,' said Satinder Pal Singh, Head of Solution Architecture, AWS India and South Asia, as he highlighted AWS' 'long-standing commitment to India.'
Economic Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
HCL Tech shares in focus after partnership with US energy firm Just Energy
Shares of HCL Technologies will be in focus on Friday after the IT major announced a partnership with US-based energy supply company Just Energy to enhance the latter's operations and customer experience. ADVERTISEMENT Under the agreement, HCLTech will deliver digital process outsourcing solutions powered by its generative AI platform to streamline functions across IT, finance, analytics, customer care, sales, and renewals, the company said in a statement. This marks HCLTech's second major deal in the energy sector this week. On Monday, the Noida-based software exporter announced a collaboration with European energy giant to provide cloud and network management services. 'By combining our expertise in GenAI and digital process outsourcing, HCLTech will contribute significantly to Just Energy's innovation strategy and customer satisfaction,' said Ajay Bahl, Chief Growth Officer – Americas, Manufacturing and Allied Industries at company will also deploy its business process optimisation tools and a role-specific, single-user interface platform to improve workforce collaboration and operational workflows at Just Energy.'We are confident that HCLTech's proven expertise and commitment to service excellence will help us achieve our key business objectives related to operational efficiency and service improvements,' said Scott Fordham, Chief Operating Officer at Just Energy. ADVERTISEMENT Also Read: 8 debt-free penny stocks that surged 110-300% in the last 1 year. Do you own any? According to Trendlyne data, the average target price for HCLTech is Rs 1,668, indicating a potential downside of around 3% from current levels. Among the 44 analysts tracking the stock, the consensus rating is 'Hold'. ADVERTISEMENT HCLTech shares closed marginally lower by 0.1% at Rs 1,713.90 on the BSE in Thursday's trade. While the stock has gained 11% over the past three months, it remains down over 10% year-to-date. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times) ADVERTISEMENT (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
HCL Tech shares in focus after partnership with US energy firm Just Energy
Live Events HCL Tech share price target (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel Shares of HCL Technologies will be in focus on Friday after the IT major announced a partnership with US-based energy supply company Just Energy to enhance the latter's operations and customer the agreement, HCLTech will deliver digital process outsourcing solutions powered by its generative AI platform to streamline functions across IT, finance, analytics, customer care, sales, and renewals, the company said in a marks HCLTech's second major deal in the energy sector this week. On Monday, the Noida-based software exporter announced a collaboration with European energy giant to provide cloud and network management services.'By combining our expertise in GenAI and digital process outsourcing, HCLTech will contribute significantly to Just Energy's innovation strategy and customer satisfaction,' said Ajay Bahl, Chief Growth Officer – Americas, Manufacturing and Allied Industries at company will also deploy its business process optimisation tools and a role-specific, single-user interface platform to improve workforce collaboration and operational workflows at Just Energy.'We are confident that HCLTech's proven expertise and commitment to service excellence will help us achieve our key business objectives related to operational efficiency and service improvements,' said Scott Fordham, Chief Operating Officer at Just to Trendlyne data, the average target price for HCLTech is Rs 1,668, indicating a potential downside of around 3% from current levels. Among the 44 analysts tracking the stock, the consensus rating is 'Hold'.HCLTech shares closed marginally lower by 0.1% at Rs 1,713.90 on the BSE in Thursday's trade. While the stock has gained 11% over the past three months, it remains down over 10% year-to-date.
