Previously published in the The Australian Financial Review

As organisations struggle with limited people and resources during the pandemic, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine vision are reducing the load on key staff so they can focus on higher-value tasks.

The impact of staff shortages due to COVID-19 infections and close contact isolation has impacted organisations across the board. All are needing to do more with less, as the public health crisis increases compliance obligations around issues such as maintaining regular cleaning, checking vaccination statuses and enforcing capacity limits.

The latest advancements in artificial intelligence, machine vision and the Internet of Things (IoT) are allowing organisations to make the most of anonymised data collected from cameras and sensors. The aim is not to just passively monitor environments, but also to actively gather insight, make smart decisions and automate processes to assist the business.

Almost one-third of IT professionals surveyed globally say their business is now using artificial intelligence, with 43 per cent reporting that their company has accelerated their rollout of AI as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to IBM’s Global AI Adoption Index 2021.

For more than one in three organisations, the pandemic has influenced their decision to use automation to bolster the productivity of employees, while others found new applications for this technology to make themselves more resilient. CONTINUE READING

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