Artificial intelligence (AI) has impacted the way we live and the technologies we have today. It has significantly affected nearly every industry and has made huge strides even in our society.

The term artificial intelligence was first coined at a 1956 conference. Then, the creation of the internet allowed the technology to progress more rapidly. AI used to be a stand-alone technology many years ago, yet now its applications are widespread in almost every aspect of life.

With the growing interest in such technologies, companies are racing to implement AI in their day-to-day operations.

Here are the top 12 artificial intelligence technologies that are in demand in 2021.

1. Natural Language Processing

Natural language processing, also called NLP, is one of the most common AI applications. The growing popularity of NLP can be credited to the success of products like Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

With NLP, the need to write or operate through a screen has been eliminated since you can now communicate with robots that can interpret your needs.

In 2021, NLP will find more uses in areas like auto-video caption generation, machine translation, sentiment analysis, chatbots, and process descriptions.

2. Biometrics

The capability of AI in identifying human input makes it an excellent addition to the biometrics industry. With biometrics, humans and machines can have better natural connections. Interactions related to the recognition of image, speech, touch, and body language are the most common examples.

The most trusted form of biometric authentication nowadays is facial recognition. Combined with artificial intelligence, this technology can be used more accurately and precisely in 2021. One example of AI in biometrics is the DeepFace program created by Facebook, which makes it easy to tag family and friends in an image.

3. Cybersecurity

In the coming years, knowledge is going to become even more accessible than it is today. Digital data will have a higher risk of being exposed and compromised by hacking and phishing attempts.

This year, AI will play a major role in handling such attacks. Artificial intelligence combined with emerging technologies will provide the cybersecurity department with the support they need to fight off malicious activities.

Improved cybersecurity measures with the help of AI means cybercrimes can be deterred drastically. AI-enabled frameworks, for instance, can detect suspicious digital transactions or activities to hinder criminal trends.

4. Machine Learning

Machine learning (ML) is a part of artificial intelligence that empowers machines to recognize and make sense of the datasets they encounter. ML can help businesses make informed decisions through data analytics processed through its statistical models and algorithms.

In 2021, enterprises will invest more heavily in machine learning to reap its benefits in various sectors.

The healthcare industry could use machine learning techniques to study patient data and help predict diseases and determine proper treatment. Banks could use it to identify, analyze, and provide investment suggestions. Meanwhile, retailers can employ ML to predict changing customer behavior and preferences by analyzing their data.

5. Robotic Process Automation

To enhance business processes and minimize costs, more companies are looking towards a dynamic technology practice known as robotic process automation (RPA).

Using RPA, organizations can begin automating tedious business processes through rules. Doing so allows employees to have more time to serve their clients or perform other more crucial activities.

The aim of RPA is to provide an automated solution to business processes that are governed by organized inputs and business logic. Examples of RPA solutions can be as simple as generating an automated email response, to putting out hundreds of commands.

According to one study, 53% of enterprises have already started incorporating RPA into their processes.

6. Quantum AI

To handle quantum bits in supercomputers, more and more enterprises will begin to use quantum supremacy in 2021. Due to quantum processing, these advanced computers can solve problems faster compared to standard models. Additionally, they contribute to interpreting data and forecasting unique trends.

The AI in quantum computers can help multiple organizations identify problems and predict relevant solutions.

7. Customer Interaction

AI will begin to drive more campaigning activities in real-time this year. By using artificial intelligence, companies can manage their interactions with customers on every channel.

Besides improving customer engagement using AI software, you will start seeing more marketing activities occurring in real-time throughout all platforms. Furthermore, businesses will start using AI to increase their customer retention rates.

8. Edge Computing

Edge AI is when artificial intelligence techniques are applied to the Internet of Things (IoT) gateways, endpoints, and other devices at its point of use. In other words, edge computing provides the data and the processing near the point of interaction.

Today, Edge computing AI is a rapidly expanding phenomenon that powers devices such as smartphones, smart speakers, automotive sensors, security cameras, and more.

One survey shows that enterprises are predicted to spend approximately 30% of their IT budget on edge cloud computing alone in the following years.

9. AI-Optimized Hardware

Several types of devices are being made to perform AI-oriented tasks that result in improved processing and graphical output. For example, an AI-optimized silicon chip could one day be inserted into any portable device.

Companies such as Intel, Nvidia, and Google are investing greatly in AI-optimized hardware to enhance their next-generation applications.

10. Virtual Agents

Virtual agents are trained systems that can interact effectively with human beings. At this time, smart agents, known as chatbots, are being integrated increasingly into websites and mobile applications.

Some popular brands that are developing virtual agents include Apple, Amazon, Google, and IBM.

11. Content Creation

Companies like CBS, USA Today, and Hearts are beginning to use artificial intelligence to generate their content. Automated insights tools can use natural language processing to create new stories.

Some examples of content that could be created by AI are videos, blogs, and ads.

12. Marketing Automation

Marketing automation using artificial intelligence could increase engagement and improve company performance. It uses software that automates processes such as data integration, client segmentation, and campaign management.

One example of this technology in use is AdextAI. The platform operates on Facebook, YouTube, and Google ads and incorporates artificial intelligence to enhance ad performance.

Conclusion

After learning about the artificial intelligence technologies that will be in demand this year, it’s clear that AI offers numerous possibilities in shaping our future.

Modern society has already benefited from the technology significantly. This result is one of the main reasons that businesses are now more AI-oriented – to provide their customers with better services.