More than a third of businesses have implemented some kind of AI technology in the last four years, with a 270% increase in use across the board.
So claims a report by analyst firm Gartner, which suggests that AI use in business has increased three times over in the last 12 months, with businesses integrating smart tech to keep up with competitors.
"Four years ago, AI implementation was rare, only 10 per cent of survey respondents reported that their organisations had deployed AI or would do so shortly," said Chris Howard, distinguished research vice president at Gartner.
"If you are a CIO and your organisation doesn't use AI, chances are high that your competitors do and this should be a concern."
AI capabilities have evolved so much that businesses can now see the true value of adding it to their organisation, according to Howard.
AI has been implemented in a wide range of scenarios, with the introduction of chatbots in telecoms businesses and computer-powered healthcare diagnostics the most popular in the past year.
That said, skills shortages are still causing headaches for businesses implementing AI. Just over half (54%) of businesses questioned in Gartner's survey said they were struggling to find the right talent to implement their digital transformation strategies.
"In order to stay ahead, CIOs need to be creative," Howard added.
"If there is no AI talent available, another possibility is to invest in training programmes for employees with backgrounds in statistics and data management. Some organisations also create job shares with ecosystem and business partners,"
