AI and Advanced Analytics – Enterprise Adoption Accelerating

Enterprises have been experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, but few have deployed AI at full-scale. As with early adoption of many technologies, proof-of-concept projects have demonstrated success in reducing costs, increasing productivity, and improving customer experience. These early successes have led many companies to begin larger AI projects that will require access to additional skills both internally and externally to ensure that success continues.

This is one of the top findings of Avasant’s new Applied AI and Advanced Analytics Services 2020 RadarView^TM report, a comprehensive study of the AI and advanced analytics ecosystem, providing a granular understanding of key service providers. It highlights the key trends in the AI and analytics market and Avasant’s viewpoint on the direction of the industry over the next 12 to 18 months. The full report assists enterprises in identifying use cases, transformation potential, success stories, challenges, and action plans to accelerate their efforts in AI and advanced analytics. It also features detailed analyses of service providers to assist enterprises in identifying the best partners for their AI journey.

Avasant evaluated 39 providers using three key dimensions: practice maturity, partnership ecosystem, and investments and innovation. Of the 39 providers, 22 are recognized as having brought the most value to the market over the past 12 months.

The RadarView methodology recognizes service providers in four categories:

• • The leaders’ circle includes Accenture, Cognizant, HCL, IBM, Infosys, TCS, and Wipro.
  • The innovators’ circle includes Atos, Capgemini, DXC, LTI, NTT Data, Tech Mahindra, and Zensar.
  • The disruptors’ circle includes Genpact, Mindtree, NIIT Technologies, and Persistent.
  • The challengers’ circle includes Mphasis, Sutherland, UST Global, and WNS.

These four categories are illustrated in Figure 1 from the full report (click to enlarge):

“As enterprises advance in their AI journeys, they struggle with integration, data management, and organizational change management,” said Avasant Research Leader Saurabh Verma. “These challenges are accentuated by a lack of AI implementation experience. Service providers–owing to their deepening expertise–can prove instrumental in the success of AI implementations.”

The report includes recommendations for enterprises, some of which are:

1. Adopt an AI-first approach, instead of siloed AI initiatives:
   • Formulate a digital transformation blueprint that includes an organization-wide, unified data strategy and digital road map. This lays the foundation for AI and analytics initiatives across business functions.
   • Move beyond narrow implementations to AI-based, automated decision-making across roles and functions such as CRM, supply chain, IT, marketing, and new product development.
2. Proactively develop AI-specific capabilities and evolve the roles:
   • Augment workforce AI proficiency on both the technical and the business side.
   • Encourage an agile, experimental, and adaptable employee mindset.
3. Develop strategic partnerships in the AI ecosystem to succeed:
   • Build a robust partner ecosystem of AI tool providers, system integrators, and domain consultants.
   • Make AI an integral part of the broader digital transformation strategy and expand the roles of system integrators from technology implementation to orchestration.

The full report also features highly detailed, comprehensive RadarView profiles of the top 22 service providers along with their solutions, offerings, and experience in assisting enterprises in AI implementations. This report highlights how the service provider landscape has evolved, not only in terms of categorization but also in the way they are investing in developing talent, enhancing organizational structures, expanding geographic focus, and strengthening their partner network.