The launch of ChatGPT, a free generative AI tool, in November 2022 created a seemingly overnight tsunami of interest in artificial intelligence (AI). AI suddenly dominated headlines worldwide and ChatGPT became one of the fastest-growing applications in history.
Since then, the game-changing potential of artificial intelligence in nearly every industry has generated much discussion and excitement. It has also raised concerns and questions about how it will be used and how much it will cost – particularly in the business community.
While new information continues to emerge about AI’s capabilities, its potential impact remains somewhat mysterious to many. In reality, the rise of AI presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses and the world at large.
AI Isn’t New, but Here’s Why it’s Trending
While AI has become a new hot topic of discussion, this isn’t the case for IT insiders. AI and machine learning have been used in various analytical applications for decades. But with the launch of ChatGPT, AI was hurtled into the mainstream, spurring heightened interest in its broader capabilities.
Statistics demonstrate surging interest. According to the McKinsey research firm, AI adoption worldwide increased dramatically over the past year after years of little meaningful change. For example, in McKinsey’s 2024 Global Survey on AI, 65% of respondents reported that their organizations regularly use gen AI, nearly double the percentage from McKinsey’s previous survey ten months prior.
In another example, according to MarketsandMarkets research firm, the global AI market was valued at approximately $87 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $407 billion by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of around 36.2% between 2022 and 2027.
How AI is Being Used
As AI continues to permeate various industries, business leaders have praised its ability to generate content, models, and predictions to improve and automate business functions, such as turning unstructured data into valuable insights that can help companies enhance their bottom line.
Meanwhile, the rise of Internet of Things (loT) devices, self-driving cars, autonomous robots, and smart equipment have also prompted greater use of AI technologies due to its ability to quickly process mountains of data.
In healthcare, AI has emerged as a valuable tool for disease detection and diagnosis, medical imaging analysis, and drug discovery and development. In manufacturing, AI is helping to optimize industrial processes and drive growth. For example, manufacturers can leverage AI technology to forecast when or if functional equipment will fail so preventive maintenance and repair can be scheduled accordingly.
From organizing content and data to delivering insights and more, generative AI has many positive business benefits. Where business leaders and consumers may be concerned are the negative instances where AI technology is being used.
Emerging Cyber Threats
While Generative AI has the potential to help businesses process data, tech industry insiders note that AI also brings potential new vulnerabilities to the table. At Black Hat USA 2024, held earlier this summer, several presenters discussed the ability to use AI’s powerful data mining capabilities, such as analyzing large amounts of threat intelligence, to create new ways to fend off cyberattacks.
Other presenters, such as Nvidia, the world’s leading maker of AI chips, discussed top threats emerging in AI, such as indirect prompt injections aimed at disrupting Large Language Models (LLMs). In this form of attack, a third-party source seeks to insert new instructions into an LLM for nefarious purposes, a major concern since LLMs are key to AI’s ability to understand, summarize, generate, and predict new content.
To combat such threats, Black Hat presenters noted that maintaining strong and comprehensive security standards is key. This includes creating permissions that limit user access only to specified LLM areas as well as mapping out trust and security boundaries.
Harnessing the Power of AI
Businesses should ensure their organizations have the right infrastructure to fully realize the potential benefits of AI. That means partnering with a provider that offers the full spectrum of computing, storage, infrastructure, disaster recovery, and operating solutions. This includes high-level expertise and experience in cloud services, which are essential for optimizing AI cost and efficiency.
Lightedge has been the leader in compliant cloud and colocation for nearly three decades and has significant expertise in helping customers adapt to their changing business needs. Through the power of hybrid cloud, Lightedge is helping businesses accelerate their AI initiatives, optimize their resources, and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Click here to learn more about how Lightedge can help your organization use AI’s performance-enhancing capabilities.
