AI and Blockchain together enable Transformative Growth

By Marc O’Regan, Chief Technology Officer at Dell Technologies.

Data is the new oil and speed is now the currency which we trade in. As the world becomes more data-driven, speed is the differentiator for data-driven companies. Fast, data-driven players will be able to convert the adoption of emerging technologies into actionable business insight. At Dell Technologies, we believe it is imperative for Irish businesses to be at the forefront of the digitisation process.

Today artificial intelligence (AI) is the emerging technology that is accelerating the pace of digital transformation. Rapid change in AI has been driven by the emergence of data science, the use of algorithms in machine learning and deep learning, and new data platforms that enable data storage and processing.

Data science, advancements in computer technology and our attitude and relationship with data has led us into this new era of AI. AI relies on the availability of real-world data and the speed at which it converts that data into usable and valuable information. However, as AI technology advances, we must ensure data accuracy is maintained. Therefore training machine-learning models at high speed while maintaining accuracy and precision is vital for data scientists.

The time required to train AI machines is influenced by computing and communication time. Adopting more straightforward computational methods increases speed without sacrificing accuracy. Driving new AI applications and workloads also requires changes to the underlying engineering platform, which we are seeing, but we need more.

Industry is working hard to drive change by developing new memory technology that delivers data retention without power. Data will fuel the development of AI and the pace of this change will continue to accelerate.

Technologies such as Blockchain offers a new option for data storage and processing and it is finding its way into the AI ecosystem.

Blockchain is concerned with keeping accurate records, authentication and execution while AI makes decisions, assesses and understands patterns and data sets ultimately engendering autonomous interaction. Blockchain and AI share several characteristics which ensure a seamless interaction between them.

However, there is no greater threat to the advancement of any new technology than lack of trust. The high-value transactions on the Blockchain network must be secure. As AI machines are autonomous, they also require a high level of security to reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic event.

We are now using AI to solve some of the most important and complex problems on our planet. Blockchain’s decentralised data storage and advanced algorithms make data more quickly accessible and verifiable. These two technologies together offer the potential to increase productivity, which may fundamentally reframe our lives.

As a company forged in an era of digital disruption empowered by emerging technologies, Dell Technologies has been at the forefront of helping organisations accelerate their adoption of AI and blockchain.

For these technologies offer a once in a generation opportunity for today’s businesses to become tomorrow’s innovators and digital disruptors – delivering transformation economic growth into the future.