How Artificial Intelligence Will Evolve in 2023

A confluence of many factors – powerful computing in small form factors, edge computing, the integration of IT and operational technology (OT), 5G, and even the COVID-19 pandemic – has buoyed the adoption of artificial intelligence in a variety of industries. Valued at $93.5 billion in 2021, research firm Market View Research predicts the global adoption of AI will grow at an astounding 38% compounded annual growth rate until 2030.

So where does AI go from here? The experts shared six AI predictions for 2023.

1. Generative AI will continue to garner attention, said Mike Krause, AI solutions director at Beyond Limits, an enterprise AI software firm. Generative models, like the digital image generator DALL-E, analyze data and interpolate to create something brand new.

But generative AI models are not just good at creating digital images like DALL-E does. They are being used to discover new materials for battery design, carbon capture, and loads of other innovations, Krause said, who predicts that generative models will reach new heights in 2023. For example, expect developments in the healthcare space for vaccine modeling, drug discovery, and even personalized medicine supported by training data generated from electronic medical records, Krause said.

2. AI will become less of a black box, said Lee Howells, head of artificial intelligence at professional services firm PA Consulting. Howell predicts 2023 will see more organizations voluntarily publicizing their AI principles and outlining their processes.

“There will be greater use of ‘explainable AI’ over black box models in areas that directly affect individuals,” Howell said. “Organizations with published AI principles and demonstrably ethical use of AI and data will see greater acceptance by the public of the use of their data.”

“As more and more AI [systems] are being deployed across various sectors, regulators are keen to ensure that all AI models are behaving the way they should, free from any bias and discrimination,” noted Lian Jye Su, AI and ML research director at ABI Research. He argued that while explainable AI will make the process more transparent, it requires several market developments to happen, including a supportive model development and deployment infrastructure that can show the relationship between the inputs and outputs and processing layers, the introduction of AI models that are explainable by default, and clear regulatory guidelines and principles.

3. 2023 will see a marketplace for readymade AI models, according to Bryan Harris, executive vice president and chief technology officer at analytics software company SAS.

“Coming soon are industry-specific AI model marketplaces that enable businesses to easily consume and integrate AI models in their business without having to create and manage the model lifecycle,” Harris said. “Businesses will simply subscribe to an AI model store. Think of the Apple Music store or Spotify for AI models broken down by industry and data they process.”

4. There will be a growing call for sustainable AI, said Adnan Masood, chief AI architect at digital transformation solutions company UST. More than ever, businesses are conscious of their environmental footprints, and sustainable AI describes the use of artificial intelligence in a way that does not have negative consequences for the environment or society, Masood says.

“The goal of sustainable AI is to create technology that can be used without causing harm to the planet or its inhabitants. This includes using renewable energy sources, developing recycling and waste management programs, and creating policies that protect workers from being replaced by robots,” Masood said. “In order to achieve these goals, in 2023 businesses will plan to involve all stakeholders in the development process, including government officials, industry leaders, and members of the public.”

5. We will see growing use of synthetic data for AI models, Masood predicted. “For several business use cases, the future of AI is creating synthetic data for their domain,” he said. “This data helps businesses to better understand their customers and make more informed decisions.”

In 2023, synthetic data will become increasingly reliable and employed to create realistic models of customer behavior, which can improve marketing campaigns or target new markets, Masood said. “Additionally, synthetic data will be used to test new products or services before they are launched, ensuring that they are ready for the real world.”

6. AI systems will become increasingly multimodal, able to process information from multiple sources, such as image, audio, sensor data, and videos. “This insight can be used to create better experience in customer service and medical diagnosis,” Lian Jye Su said.

Su stressed that successful AI implementations require a delicate balance and understanding of people and processes, just as it would with any other technology. “AI developers and IT personnel will increasingly be challenged with their ability to communicate and utilize their interpersonal skills and human behaviors to overcome hurdles while attempting to successfully harness AI,” he said. “The new frontier points to the ‘social’ AI developer, data scientist, and data engineer.”

Do you have AI predictions for 2023? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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