Cool Companies in Cognitive Computing for 2018

Experts may disagree on the precise definitions of artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive computing, machine learning (ML), or natural language processing. However, there is no debate about whether the proliferation of sensors and mobile devices, the rapid increase in data volume, and the heightened need for rapid decision making is fueling a demand for smarter solutions and greater automation.

According to a 2018 McKinsey Global Institute report, the current projected global impact of adopting what it calls AI is $3.5 trillion to $5.8 trillion annually globally. The McKinsey Institute has identified 400 use cases for AI across 19 industries.

Furthermore, Deloitte Global predicts that by the end of 2018, the number of implementations and pilot projects using machine learning will double compared with 2017, and the number will have doubled again by 2020. In addition, with enabling technologies such as ML application program interfaces (APIs) and specialized hardware available in the cloud, these advances will be generally available to small as well as large companies.

Worldwide spending on cognitive and artificial intelligence systems is forecast to reach $57.6 billion in 2021, according to a recent update of the “Worldwide Semiannual Cognitive Artificial Intelligence Systems Spending Guide” from IDC. With many industries aggressively investing in cognitive and AI solutions, spending is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 50.1% over the 2016-2021 forecast period, the company says.

And, while the focus on machine learning (ML) “may seem like an overnight development,” according to a recent survey conducted by MIT Technology Review Custom and Google Cloud, the use of this technology has been growing steadily since the emergence of big data. “ML is beginning to deliver on the potential created by big data and analytics by turning raw data into useful, predictive tools for business. Innovation-minded business leaders are embracing ML as ‘the next big thing’ and have already crafted ML strategies and initiatives that promise real benefits and return on investment (ROI).”

To help increase understanding about this important area of information technology and how it is being leveraged in solutions and platforms to provide business advantage, DBTA and Big Data Quarterly present the 2018 list of Cool Companies in Cognitive Computing starting below and continuing through the following three web pages.

ABBYY – A global leader of content intelligent solutions and services, ABBYY offers a complete range of AI-based technologies and solutions to help transform business documents and content into business value.

Accenture – Driving innovation to improve the way the world works and lives, Accenture provides a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations, and works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders.

Amazon AI services – With ML algorithms used in many of Amazon’s own internal systems and core to the capabilities its customers’ experience—including path optimization in fulfillment centers, Amazon.com’s recommendations engine, and the retail experience Amazon Go—the company’s goal with Amazon AI services is to  share its learnings and ML capabilities as fully managed services.

Attivio – A cognitive search and insight platform company that enables Fortune 500 enterprises to answer the most complex questions, Attivio puts search at the core of every enterprise, integrating every data source into a single always-learning platform.

BlueData – With BlueData’s container-based software platform, enterprises can quickly deploy multi-node environments for AI use cases with TensorFlow and other ML tools. BlueData makes it easier, faster, and more cost-effective to innovate with AI, ML, and big data analytics—either on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid architecture.