Artificial Intelligence New Revolution

To understand the impact of artificial intelligence, according to Guus van de Mond, one should look back in time, specifically to the era of steam engines. “The steam engine made production much more efficient at the time, just as the internal combustion engine did later, and as computer and internet technology has done more recently.” The entrepreneur from Oss is very clear in his assertion that we are now at the beginning of a fourth technological revolution: “3D robotics, blockchain, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning… A lot is coming our way. Many of these developments have been on the horizon for a while but are now reaching the technological point where they can break through. I am convinced that this breakthrough will have as much impact as that of the steam engines at the end of the eighteenth century.”

What is Artificial Intelligence?  

What exactly do we mean by artificial intelligence? This question is not easy to answer.

In short, one could say that artificial intelligence is a form of intelligence that allows machines, devices, and software to make decisions and solve problems independently. They do this largely by using algorithms to recognize patterns in data or stimuli from their environment and respond accordingly. It is these algorithms that make them increasingly ‘smarter’: thanks to their enormous computational power, they ’learn’ rapidly from their ’experiences.’ In this way, artificial intelligence mimics the pattern-associating ability of a human.

Artificial intelligence has existed for several decades but has recently gained significant attention. This is due to the substantial increase in computational power and the vastly expanded availability of data: two essential conditions for artificial intelligence. Moreover, the rise of the smartphone has increased its applicability for consumers, making it much easier for us to encounter artificial intelligence.

Machine Learning  

It is one of the reasons why Guus, owner of Squadra Machine Learning Company in Oss, decided to delve into artificial intelligence at the end of 2016. He thoroughly explored emerging technologies, studied at Stanford University, and then focused on ‘machine learning.’ “This is a form of artificial intelligence where computers discover patterns in large datasets. These patterns form the basis of a predictive algorithm, which becomes ‘smarter’ by adding new data and discovering new patterns.”

As an example, the entrepreneur from Oss describes a project with one of the Netherlands’ largest online department stores. “For sales, it is important that products are well described. After all, the customer must be able to select and compare. But not all manufacturers provide complete datasets. Take a certain type of T-shirt available with long sleeves, short sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, and sleeveless. If the manufacturer does not provide these details, the system still detects these differences and makes them available as search criteria. Based on text and image labels, the computer learned once to recognize these visual characteristics. When it is then presented with similar products, it can classify them according to the newly learned features. This process is infinitely faster than what could be achieved manually.”

“Data is the new gold”

Guus van de Mond

Also for the SME Entrepreneur  

Artificial intelligence is currently still the domain of the ‘big players,’ as Eric Postma calls them. But that is rapidly changing, according to him. “At least in the area of ‘deep learning,’ the form of artificial intelligence that is now strongly emerging. More complex tasks—like creating self-driving cars—will remain reserved for the big players like Tesla, Google, and Amazon for a while.” As a scientist at Tilburg University and the Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS) in Den Bosch, Eric conducts a lot of research in this area, including its practical applicability. He is well-known for the research he conducted with the Van Gogh Museum on automatically recognizing the differences between genuine Van Goghs and forgeries, something the computer proved to be much better at than the human eye.

Eric: “I mainly focus on text, image, and speech recognition. And there are developments in these areas that are also relevant for SME entrepreneurs. Right now. At JADS, for example, we are working with a company in Den Bosch that creates personal fashion profiles based on the images and videos someone views. This allows you to make very targeted offers to your customers.” There are also many applications in services, says Eric. “For example, screening reports for trends, errors, and even fraud. Simply put, you give the system hundreds of reports, and it identifies anomalies, no matter how subtle they are.”

Guus notices that many entrepreneurs think that artificial intelligence mainly adds value in technical processes. But the opposite is almost true: “Data can make the difference, especially in services. Just think about how quickly your expectations as a consumer have increased in recent years. Customers know that you know them inside out. They then expect you to tailor your services accordingly. In product offerings, but also in service. Why would I be interested in an impersonal offer if you know exactly what my size is, which color I like, and which shoes I usually wear?”

Four Performance Areas  

Guus divides the applications of artificial intelligence into four performance areas. “First: recognition, as we do in the example of that online department store. Second: prediction. Not only of trends and developments but also of someone’s preferences, for example. Third: establishing relationships and connections, such as in the document analysis example. And fourth: improvement, for instance, of processes, planning, and logistics.”

The Netherlands is not a leader in this field. Nevertheless, it will progress quickly here, says Eric: “The conditions are present: an excellent technical infrastructure, good research, and an innovative business community.” However, he emphasizes that the revolution is mainly happening behind the scenes. You could still see the steam engine, but with smart computer systems, that is not the case. “But don’t let that stop you. Think carefully about the impact data can have on your business. And take that decisive lead when the time is right.” Guus adds: “In any case, do everything possible to collect relevant data. Really: data is the new gold.”

Eric concludes his argument with a clear comparison: “I can understand that it all still seems abstract. But think back, not even that long ago. Around 1995, the first websites were built. There were entrepreneurs who thought this was just a hype for a long time… Around 2007, the smartphone emerged. There were entrepreneurs who thought this development would not take off so quickly. And now artificial intelligence is coming. If I were an SME entrepreneur…”

© Publisher: Bedrijvig Oss

By Guus van de Mond (Founder / Director) and Eric Postma (Professor of Artificial Intelligence)