A new year offers a good time to ponder on future trends over the next 12 months. One trend many IT experts agree on for 2019 is greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) in content management.
Present use
Leading providers of content management – including Microsoft, Google and IBM – are already using machine learning and AI in their content platforms. No doubt 2019 will see the continuation and advancement of AI use.
Michael Woodbridge, a Gartner analyst, said:
“Artificial intelligence, which, of course, is a much used and abused term, is becoming a major trend in terms of what vendors are adding to their platforms. It's already happening. It's happened over the last 12 months plus, but now, it's starting to penetrate into all vendors, not just the few that are at the leading edge.”
Not just AI search
Google search uses artificial intelligence to serve up its results. Web pages are ranked according to complex algorithms, and intranet content is also searchable using AI processes.
AI is not just being used in search engines though; it can also enhance productivity and classify content. For example, AI can search information and suggest related content. It can analyse documents and propose document classifications, or be used to assist risk management and detect fraud.
Personalisation
Google and Facebook have long personalized the content experience of users, including biasing search results to a person’s location and what the user is interested in. The aim is designed to create a more user-friendly, engaging experience.
Some critics say this is not necessarily healthy for political or ethical subjects, as content may be tailored by AI to selectively show views which agree with the user's point of view, hence creating an ‘echo chamber’ effect. It is argued that presenting both sides of a subject is healthier as it gives a more holistic view.
Intranets can benefit from personalization. AI is usually based on rules or algorithms, but new AI systems can learn by experience. Andy Zimmerman of Evergage says:
"Rather than a marketer trying to figure it out and guessing and testing, you can have a system that's self-learning and optimizing and doing its own testing of different experiences, whether it's offers or headlines or images to show."
SharePoint AI
Microsoft has AI features in its latest version of SharePoint, with more AI systems expected in the future. AI can translate pages into other languages and be used to recognise and auto-tag images. It analyses lists and connects list to Planner and Outlook calendar, and cognitive analysis can study text for key phrases, and moderate it for offensive content.
Many AI features in SharePoint work automatically, while others need to be turned on. SharePoint provides customisation options to optimise AI systems for the user.
At WM Reply, we supply systems that can help businesses be more productive, and we support the use of AI that enhances and improves user experience. Businesses need content management systems that present information in a clear and accessible way and AI and machine learning can help this happen. To find out more about how these advancements can assist your business get in touch with our team today.