9 Publications to Help You Understand and Implement an AI Strategy

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While we have not reached the age of Artificial General Intelligence just yet, we have arguably reached the point at which AI is playing a major part in making conventional business strategies obsolete. From making certain job positions obsolete to partnering with technologies like the Blockchain to attempt to do the same to industries, the disruption is real.

Because of this, we’ve compiled a list for you that we believe will help you get started in your journey to understanding this shift towards AI-driven business as well as how to react to it.

The Towards Data Science Blog- We’ve mentioned this one before. Just because its’ name implies that it focuses solely on Data Science, does not mean that it does not contain a meaningful amount of value related to the AI space. The Towards Data Science blog breaks down meaningful concepts and trends in the data science, machine learning, and AI spaces in a manner that anyone can understand. What is likely most important about this blog, however, is that it focuses on how current technological implementations related to all of these fields could be improved.

2. Thomas Davenport’s “The AI Advantage”- Thomas Davenport is known as a thought leader on just about everything related to the future. While he isn’t primarily an AI expert, the fields that he publishes research on basically make him one by default. This book serves to illustrate why this is true and at the same time, to re-frame an AI strategy as a “cognitive strategy.” If you’re wondering why this second point matters, check out Chapter 4, which details how to implement an AI strategy as well as why doing so doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning your current business model. This re-framing has to do with where AI falls short of earning its’ name based on where it is today, but also extends to Davenport’s theory of why “AI” may not be the ideal term for these technologies at this point.

3. The AI Technology and the Law Blog- None of the other resources on this list focus on how AI intersects with the law. The level of analysis that this blog goes into relates to the ethical issues that the rise of AI raises is unparalleled. Most importantly, the tone that is taken in all of their discussions maintains the journalistic integrity of the blog, keeping it from being seen as just another champion of all things AI. Look to this source if you want a somewhat cynical, yet reasonable take on the legal problems that need to be addressed for the AI industry to truly move forwards.

4. AppliedAI- This is a truly unique resource in that it is both a database of AI vendors and a repository of active AI use cases. The site is simple to navigate and includes over 100 examples of AI in practice and over 3000 listings of AI companies. Look to AppliedAI if you want to do meaningful research on where the industry is now and where it is going, but you need a starting point that serves as a good aggregator.

5. IBM Research- IBM is considered by many to be one of the most powerful companies in AI next to Google. As they note on their AI research landing page, they’ve been in the AI industry for decades, which has yielded a valuable, wide breadth of research. When you put their longevity in the space together with their willingness to embrace the ethos of open-source communities through their Open Enterprise program, they would seem to be a likely candidate to lead the AI space to a code of ethics that can be adopted as an industry standard.

6. Quora- Yes, this is not a blog, a magazine, or a traditional publication in any way dedicated to AI. Even so, it bears mentioning here because of its’ unique utility across industries. With Quora, you can find the answers to just about any question related to just about any industry, including the AI space. While not everyone on the site is truly an expert related to the questions they choose to answer, you can see their credentials displayed publicly and make your own judgment on whose opinion is most reasonable.

7. Andrew Ng’s Resources at DeepLearning.ai- Andrew Ng has done just about everything that one person can do for AI and ML and he doesn’t seem to be close to finished yet. Now, he appears to be dedicating a large part of his time towards educating the general public on the benefits of AI as well as what adopting an AI strategy entails. For a concise primer on all of this, check out his “AI for Everyone” course via the link below. While it’s not a comprehensive guide to implementing an AI strategy, it’s a necessary stepping stone towards understanding the more technical aspects of doing so.

8. The Machine Learning Mastery Blog- The MLM blog is like the Towards Data Science blog, except it’s more narrowly focused. It primarily bears mentioning once again due to the way it breaks down complicated ML and AI concepts in a manner that it is easy for anyone to understand. Furthermore, compared to the TDS blog, the technical aspect of this analysis goes deeper. Give MLM’s efforts a chance, especially if you are looking to get a good understanding of Machine Learning as a whole.

9. Harvard Business Review- This is not last on the list by design. With posts like “How to Choose Your First AI Project” and “How Humans and AI Are Working Together in 1,500 Companies,” they not only provide easily actionable information for individuals and businesses alike, related to implementing AI(an AI strategy), they also provide valuable insights on what having an AI strategy means. All in all, HBR’s central focus is to present current cases that help business professionals make their own judgments on the usefulness of these technologies and more. The fact that these cases come from its’ massive, unparalleled global network makes its’ content more powerful than many other, similar publications.

While this list is far from comprehensive, it’s meant as a primer to understanding how business strategy is changing with the rise of the Artificial Intelligence industry. Related to this, it’s always advisable to take courses in a new field to get a solid understanding of it, though these publications serve as great supplements to such an effort. In future posts, we’ll mention some of these courses, as well as further details about these particular blogs, sites, and books. Until then, check out our resource list below to dive in to these topics further.