A review of 2018, a preview for what's next: Artificial intelligence in travel

Throughout 2018, PhocusWire brought you in-depth coverage of some of the critical topics impacting travel, organized by a different theme each month.

As we prepare for 2018 to end and a new year to begin, we are revisiting these themes.

We’ll look back on key developments of the past 12 months and look ahead, with additional perspective from the topical experts we interviewed throughout the year.

In April our theme was artificial intelligence.

We examined at how global distribution systems are incorporating AI into their platforms and processes, with input from Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport.

We also talked to IBM - the creator of the most famous AI engine, Watson - to learn how it is being used in travel, and we talked to the folks at Hopper, the price prediction app that is using AI to drive conversions.

Finally, we explored how AI can help travel brands fine-tune their digital marketing strategies.

We’ve also been tracking the work of several companies using AI to help brands provide consumers a more personalized search, shopping and travel experience, including Baarb, Bd4travel, Hotelchamp, Travelsify, Fetch.AI and others.

To explore what lies ahead for AI in relation to travel, we solicited input from IBM’s global managing director for travel and transportation, Dee Waddell, and from Mark Holt, chief technology officer at Trainline, a company that has been using AI to improve its services.

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How businesses are significantly changed by Big Data.

A lot of data is generated in the Kenyan economy every day. With trailblazing platforms, which has disrupted financial services and access to money, the volume of data we are looking at is immense. All businesses in one way or the other are constantly churning new data.

For businesses that are data-driven, such data has been stored in clouds, servers and data warehouses and has been extracted from systems on a high-level basis to determine change in strategy or for control purposes to ensure businesses are hitting set targets.

With the new era of data code-named “BigData”, the way businesses are looking at data and extracting insights from it has drastically evolved. No longer will businesses rely on the traditional approach of shooting from the hip decision making. Now, more than ever, they will be required to use an evidence-based approach.

As we move into this exciting new space, much like its cousin Blockchain which gave rise to the notorious cryptocurrency craze, Big Data will need some demystifying going forward. This article seeks to outline some key areas around Big Data and analytics.

CLEAR OBJECTIVES: 

As with any project, organizations setting up Big Data solutions need to be clear on what business needs Big Data and analytics are going to solve. Many organizations might be tempted, in a bid to oust their competition and get to market ahead of them, to create capacity and Big Data solutions without really understanding what problem it is going to solve. At the onset, many organizations who go about it with no set objectives may suffer losses due to the risky nature of such undertakings.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT: 

From the onset, many organizations will grapple with whether existing infrastructure and linkages will be suited to capture and more importantly relay insights arising from Big Data in good time to allow for decision making. Some organisations may be lucky enough to have compatible systems and data environments and as such will be able to create value faster. Companies can also programme Big Data applications with existing languages such as SQL.

Big Data is going to change the dynamics of how most departments in organizations will relate. Think of it as the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Perhaps one of the biggest advantages that will accrue to businesses which adopt Big Data and analytics would be predictive analytics. Gaining deeper insights on customer tastes and preferences coupled with predicting demand more accurately is undoubtedly every business’ headache.

Reducing the expectations gap and gaining a deeper understanding of consumer needs will lead to segmentation of consumers and thus produce goods/services that accurately meet consumer needs. The result is increased sales revenues, reduced costs and an impressive bottom-line for businesses.

INVESTMENT DECISION: 
Boardroom conversations with the C-suite will always ask the return on investment (ROI) question. Will the company’s investment in Big Data and analytics have a positive return? The answer to this question is beyond a shadow of a doubt a resounding yes! Ability to predict demand more accurately, more flexibility on the pricing continuum and even predictive maintenance just to mention a few, has a direct impact on the bottom-line. The issue on ROI does not lie on whether Big Data and analytics are necessary but on how companies will go about the entire process. A data strategy is important to ensure money and time is not lost in creating systems that will not result in a positive ROI.

PRIVACY: 

BigData, as the name suggests, uses data to come up with new insights for companies. A lot of this data is consumer/customer data. Some of this information may be private and confidential and governed by certain laws. Particularly, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), that came into effect on May 25, 2018, and locally the Data Protection Bill 2018 are enforceable.

Any company storing customer information will be required to seek consent before collecting, processing or storing personal data. The purpose for collecting the data also needs to be clear and for how long it will be stored. Customers will also have the right to be ‘forgotten’ on demand by being permanently deleted from the database.

HUMAN CAPITAL: 

Investment in highly skilled personnel is inevitable. Data scientists, data analysts and many other occupations within the data field within the country are few and may not possess all the necessary skills to be able to harness the power of Big Data and analytics. Companies will need to reskill their current personnel who handle data and hire more talent.

Also, proper job descriptions need to be developed to capture the scope of work to avoid any confusion of roles. New positions will emerge such as chief data officers, which will change the power dynamics in organizations. Remuneration would need to match industry standards, and benchmarking with companies abroad might be necessary. The value-add of this new personnel is not to be taken lightly.

In conclusion, Big Data and analytics are a game changer and will need many businesses to make open and candid decisions on how they will compete in this ever-changing and dynamic market.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/analysis/ideas/Why-Big-Data-is-a-game-changer-for-businesses/4259414-4909986-wnjfnu/index.html

ABOUT US

With 21 years in providing R&D services for leading companies worldwide, TMA Solutions (http://www.tmasolutions.com) has intensive experience and capabilities to bring your products and solutions to a new level by embracing new technologies (big data & analytics, AI, IoT, mobile, cloud, etc.).

TMA Innovation Center (TIC) is TMA R&D arm focusing on collaborating with universities and partners worldwide to foster innovation and build a new generation of products and solutions.

TIC creates an open environment fostering idea & knowledge sharing, R&D collaboration, creativity & innovation, technology transfer and incubation.

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Mark Zuckerberg Uses Blockchain For His Own Ends

The idea that a company as powerful and autocratic as Facebook Inc. would ever dive into crypto-currencies has always seemed a bit like the Death Star deciding to throw a staff Christmas party.

Whether it’s the Bitcoin model itself (Wild West capitalism where nobody’s in charge) or the more corporate-friendly efforts to exploit the blockchain approach (distributed databases across networks within a business or industry) it’s been hard to see how a billionaire like Mark Zuckerberg might find a use for it. His entire business depends on centrally harvesting data to sell ads at a profit.

So it’s no surprise that Facebook’s latest step toward a blockchain product, as reported by Bloomberg News last week, looks like more of a simple co-opting of the technology for a pretty humdrum payment system rather than any headlong rush to join the crypto-revolution.

The company’s digital token, still in its infancy, would let users transfer money on WhatsApp, focusing first on the remittances market in India. It would be a so-called “stablecoin,” which are usually pegged to a currency like the dollar to minimize volatility. There would be a pool of assets stored in custody to protect it.

One can already hear the howls of anguish from the crypto-evangelists. This is not a token designed to displace fiat currencies or soar in price. In theory, one FaceCoin would never be more valuable than the $1 backing it (although in practice, markets can do funny things). It’s essentially an online IOU.

Zuckerberg is hardly inventing the wheel here given that migrant workers already sent home $69 billion to India last year, and India isn’t a ripe crypto-market anyway after its central bank virtually outlawed digital currencies this year. Facebook would be competing instead with services like PayPal’s Xoom, or WorldRemit, or even Western Union. Society might become more cashless as a result, but it’s not going to be any more crypto.

The prophets of blockchain had once imagined that they could create a way for individuals to control and sell their own personal data rather than letting Big Tech profit from doing it. But Facebook’s project looks like the reverse: Locking users more securely within its walled garden by offering them an in-house currency. Zuckerberg and his lieutenants have long been resistant to giving up control of the data; naturally so, given how lucrative it is.

So rather than fix the internet giants, blockchain is itself being repaired. Crypto startups that promised to liberate the world from the yoke of capitalism now can’t even keep their own staff gainfully employed. Facebook’s approach is to take the blockchain’s broken pieces and fashion something far more acceptable to shareholders. This won’t please people who fear its monopoly power, and for good reason. One more thing for regulators to chew on.

ABOUT US

With 21 years in providing R&D services for leading companies worldwide, TMA Solutions (http://www.tmasolutions.com) has intensive experience and capabilities to bring your products and solutions to a new level by embracing new technologies (big data & analytics, AI, IoT, mobile, cloud, etc.).
TMA Innovation Center (TIC) is TMA R&D arm focusing on collaborating with universities and partners worldwide to foster innovation and build a new generation of products and solutions.
TIC creates an open environment fostering idea & knowledge sharing, R&D collaboration, creativity & innovation, technology transfer and incubation.

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The necessity of 5G to Internet of Things (IoT)

Companies working on IoT and 5G can expect greater revenues because of the combination of IoT and 5G, with benefits for both consumers as well as the organization.

As critical as the advent of the internet was for technological advancements, this is the era of faster devices and gadgets than ever before. Smartphones and all handheld devices are evolving rapidly and every few months, we see a new launch, promising speed, reliability and connectivity. In the past, we can see what initiated the change that is so much a part of us now. We’re living in the golden age of innovation because of the amazingly innovative software.

5G is a crucial part of that journey and with more connected devices appearing in the market all the time, the epoch of IoTs is upon us. Digital platforms are taking over everything; IoT is the name of the game. Just by simply using our smartphone, we can control every our appliances and devices.

Connectivity

In order to connect, Internet of things depends upon the available network’s ability. Smartphones and other android devices are the easiest to transform and revamp. Companies around the world are trying to create such devices, which will be able to adapt to new protocols in technology. 5G is going to bring a revolutionary change, creating such mechanics that will be responsible for the most intelligent tech to set foot on earth. The opportunities that are there for further advancements will bring innovation in IoT, making sure that one network has the strength to connect every device. We can also expect to see better apps that require speed and connectivity with its launch, which only comes with a 5G network. The way we see about the Internet will be changed; that includes the network in our homes, workplaces and as well as in every smart device that we own.

Even though every device has its own language and each software has its own implications; with IoT, we’re looking at an endless era of devices that will be able to communicate with each other. Your home security system with an optimum 5G network will be so powerful that it will take care of your homes on its own. Whether we talk about heating the environment inside or bringing in a cool breeze, temperature sensors will make decisions based on AI.

Smart industrial solutions

5G is supposed to reform a variety of tech gadgets. Many of those are relevant to single customer usage but let’s not forget the application of IoT in the industrial sector. From engineers to architects and from to doctors to builders, we can see the usage of high-end gadgets that correspond with applications that are purely built on the principles of IoT. Augmented reality and virtual reality are changing how we experience the physical world. With 5G, all such technology stands to gain immense support. Because of its reliable support, we can expect minimum to low latency. This means no waiting time for downloads or forgetting any task done on any connected device. Downloading speeds will be limitless and wireless connections will deliver extreme streaming. IoT cars will coordinate with traffic signals in a smart city in a superbly efficient manner.

Drones, robots and artificial intelligence for better controls and creative solutions will no longer be so far away from reality because of 5G. We will be able to help amputees after warfare and show some light to the blind, which is nothing short of a miracle. There are already such devices like bionic arms and legs and walking sticks which tell you whether there’s an obstacle in your path or not.

Separately allocated ‘slices’

We’re looking at flexible solutions to problems so that while everything remains connected, different devices are able to follow their own protocols. There will be options of multiple devices connecting at a multitude of points with their own ranges and yet all those applications keep working their way towards newer heights. Because each device and application is allocated a different network slice, 5G will ensure that each maintains the quality of service.

When one device is taking care of monitoring the weather outside or the temperature within, your smart car is getting attention as well at the same time. Whenever the car passes by an intersection on the highway, IoT system constantly updates the traffic conditions to help provide hassle-free driving solutions. While this carries on, the weather reporting continues as you get new information about any expected anomalies. 5G will be responsible for enhancing glitch-free network usage and an all-time availability.

Amazing mobile data services

Mobile carriers are already hard at work, trying to create innovation in their present network models. They are the ones that are bound to gain the most from 5G technology. The telecom industry can grow by leaps, bound, and now is the time to invest in the emerging market of an extremely fast network connection. Not only will the mobile networks become fast and secure, but they will also be able to carry big data, unleashing the maximum potential that is possible in the telecom industry. Since IoT will be leading the way, we can expect to see smarter phones and devices; from personal security to creating safer homes. 5G essentially arrived in the market because of the increasing number of mobiles. It is set to do everything that 4G does but in a better way.

With IoT and 5G coming together, companies on both sides can expect greater revenues with benefits for both consumers as well as the organisation. Since the infrastructure for 5G is already there and because it’s the technology that is going to supplement its predecessor, the cost of new equipment is already negligible. With new sensors and gadgets coming in at varying costs, many of which are already not costly at all, the transformation in technology is going to be amazing. Network and data will need constant monitoring for optimum results. Due to an excessive number of devices and applications, proper management of automation will be necessary for excellent performance.

Source: https://www.itproportal.com/features/how-is-5g-internet-imperative-for-iot/

ABOUT US

With 21 years in providing R&D services for leading companies worldwide, TMA Solutions (http://www.tmasolutions.com) has intensive experience and capabilities to bring your products and solutions to a new level by embracing new technologies (big data & analytics, AI, IoT, mobile, cloud, etc.).

TMA Innovation Center (TIC) is TMA R&D arm focusing on collaborating with universities and partners worldwide to foster innovation and build a new generation of products and solutions.

TIC creates an open environment fostering idea & knowledge sharing, R&D collaboration, creativity & innovation, technology transfer and incubation.

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Healthcare inudstry accelerated by AI and Big Data

One of the biggest beneficiaries of modern technology is the field of healthcare and with the emergence of AI and Big data in this sector; one can witness the ever-growing potentials of these technologies. They have a lot to offer in this field concerning health outcomes, reduced costs, and improved convenience.

Healthcare sector is flourishing at a quick pace, which indeed is a positive sign. Managing patient health and curing diseases are increasing continuously. With such high demands, new technologies are being developed and are accepted at a rapid pace. As the healthcare sector is critical regarding patient health, it considers cybersecurity a subject of concern.

• AI and Big Data enhancing healthcare outcomes

Malicious actors are increasingly becoming smart and are targeting healthcare, which makes cybersecurity a big concern. As per a report, 90 percent of hospitals that were surveyed have experienced a cyber attack within the last five years, but as AI and big data are in play, they are helping in safeguarding the patient data.

• Malware Detection

Machine learning applications can quickly detect the emerging threats against the healthcare sector as most of these applications are designed to indicate risks using historical data and malware patterns.

• Response to security breaches

In comparison to the traditional models, AI can more efficiently eliminate the threats after security breach; AI has the potential to figure out the anomalies in the network. After this, the issue is forwarded to human insight for further action. Also, with AI-powered automation, traffic can be segmented to separate sensitive data based on individual security protocols.

• Eradicate risk factor

Smart devices are more prone to being hacked as compared to traditional tools, but AI is helpful in this area as well. AI can be used to implement data encryption and particularly for malware detection which could free healthcare organizations from relying on manufacturers to ensure if the security is updated.

It is impossible not to be excited about the innovations, but it’s also challenging to anticipate the following risk factors associated with it. Well, in that case, the most crucial thing is that healthcare administrators, physicians, and patients need to vigilant and outspoken to have safe progress in the coming years.

Source: https://www.cioreview.com/news/how-ai-and-big-data-are-accelerating-the-healthcare-industry-nid-27664-cid-31.html

ABOUT US

With 21 years in providing R&D services for leading companies worldwide, TMA Solutions (http://www.tmasolutions.com) has intensive experience and capabilities to bring your products and solutions to a new level by embracing new technologies (big data & analytics, AI, IoT, mobile, cloud, etc.).

TMA Innovation Center (TIC) is TMA R&D arm focusing on collaborating with universities and partners worldwide to foster innovation and build a new generation of products and solutions.

TIC creates an open environment fostering idea & knowledge sharing, R&D collaboration, creativity & innovation, technology transfer and incubation.

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The uses of Big Data of small businesses

BIG DATA and analytics have been around for years, and in the digital era, all enterprises have realized how crucial it is to capture all the data generated by their business.

Valuable insights derived from the analysis helps the companies – ranging from ICT providers to healthcare vendors – to develop innovative solutions and create new services and product for their consumers.

Further, as more data is being generated, a new category of business that curate, analyze and aggregate industry data on a daily basis is emerging- as more data, instant analysis is required.

Some vendors such as Google and Facebook are already offering analytical and insights an as additional feature to their services.

With increased data and subsequent analysis, businesses will have more and more power to predict the future, not to mention put two opposing theories to test in real-time.

Here are some of the ways big data is going to impact enterprises of all sizes and nature;

# 1 | Data is a company’s most valuable asset

Adopting digital technologies allows for every business to collect data at an unprecedented scale and speed.

Websites, social media, electronic payments terminals, and electronic communications are all source of data that could provide insights, into customer behavior, tendencies, and preferences.

With this newfound knowledge, companies can further improve their services and give reward loyal customers with something extra.

Some companies are already using these insights to offer tailor-made personalized services to their customers at record speed.

# 2 | Makes sense of the market signals

Thanks to new technology, enterprises everywhere could trawl the internet and publicly available data to get the sense of the market to determine the latest trends and needs.

Numerous software and services are currently in the market to track social media chatter and search engine buzzwords that indicate what are the hottest items or services in the market for them to develop and tap into.

In some cases, this data could also be used to detect a void or need in the market, which would then allow for companies to swoop in and offer that service to that particular marketplace or scale up and expand into a different market.

# 3 | Decisions based on empirical data

With the increased pace of data analytics, coupled with AI technology which allows for the automation of repetitive processes, data can be translated into insights right away.

Beyond that, AI’s predictive capability will enable companies to make more informed business decisions, minimizing guessing; may it be in regards to new investments, or discontinuing a service or project.

With all the risks and benefits made more obvious on a dashboard, intuition and luck can be taken out of the decision making process altogether.

So, in conclusion, big data is not only for big companies with a limitless of resources. In the digital age, smaller businesses could also tap into the opportunity big data to enjoy the immense business benefit it unlocks.

Source: https://techwireasia.com/2018/12/how-small-businesses-can-tap-into-big-data/

ABOUT US

With 21 years in providing R&D services for leading companies worldwide, TMA Solutions (http://www.tmasolutions.com) has intensive experience and capabilities to bring your products and solutions to a new level by embracing new technologies (big data & analytics, AI, IoT, mobile, cloud, etc.).

TMA Innovation Center (TIC) is TMA R&D arm focusing on collaborating with universities and partners worldwide to foster innovation and build a new generation of products and solutions.

TIC creates an open environment fostering idea & knowledge sharing, R&D collaboration, creativity & innovation, technology transfer and incubation.

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Why machine intelligence sometimes gives crazy answers

Machine intelligence has developed considerably in recent years. However, sometimes even the most sophisticated platforms give nonsensical answers. A research team have been delving into the ‘black box’ of AI to find out why.

Technologists from the University of Maryland have been exploring machine learning algorithms to work out how they function and with a view to addressing errors. Previous approaches to such investigations have aimed to 'break' the algorithms in ways that involved taking out key words from inputs, so that the wrong answer is produced.

Taking an alternative route, the computer scientists decided to reduce the inputs down to the minimum required to yield the correct answer. This demonstrated that the correct answer could be obtained with an input of less than three words.

As an example, the scientists presented an algorithm with a photo of a sunflower and asked the question: 'What color is the flower?' This generated the correct answer (in this case 'yellow.') The scientists then discovered found the correct answer of ‘yellow’ could be produced by asking the algorithm a single-word question: 'Flower?'

With a second and more complex case, the scientists used the prompt, "In 1899, John Jacob Astor IV invested $100,000 for Tesla to further develop and produce a new lighting system. Instead, Tesla used the money to fund his Colorado Springs experiments."

Following this the researchers questioned the algorithm with: "What did Tesla spend Astor's money on?" This led to the correct answer: "Colorado Springs experiments." However, they also found that reducing the input to the single word "did" also generated the same correct answer.

These types of studies showed that keeping algorithms simple not only saves time but avoided the issues that can arise from algorithms producing the wrong answer, which the researchers attribute to over-complexity. This is partly because most algorithms are compelled to provide an answer, even where there is insufficient or conflicting data.

For the simpler approach to work, the input word did not need to have an obvious connection to the answer. This reveals how some algorithms react to specific language in a way that is different to people.

It is hoped that the research will help computer scientists to create more effective algorithms, including machines that can recognize their own limitations.

The research was presented to the 2018 Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing, which took place in Brussels, Belgium during November 2018.

ABOUT US

With 21 years in providing R&D services for leading companies worldwide, TMA Solutions (http://www.tmasolutions.com) has intensive experience and capabilities to bring your products and solutions to a new level by embracing new technologies (big data & analytics, AI, IoT, mobile, cloud, etc.).

TMA Innovation Center (TIC) is TMA R&D arm focusing on collaborating with universities and partners worldwide to foster innovation and build a new generation of products and solutions.

TIC creates an open environment fostering idea & knowledge sharing, R&D collaboration, creativity & innovation, technology transfer and incubation.

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First English property sold by an Artificial Intelligence auctioneer

In October the first property sale was concluded by an Artificial Intelligence auctioneer. The property in question was a house in Sweeney’s Terrace, Dublin, being sold by Allen & Jacobs. Offered at a guide of €250,000, the property sold by way of a clicktopurchase auction, monitored by gAbI at €345,000.

Now, the same auction platform has been used by London investment agency, Singer Vielle, to sell a commercial industrial property in Calne, Wiltshire.

With the guide price of £400,000, the property sold at online clicktopurchase® Artificial Intelligence auction on Thursday 6th December at £475,000, nearly 20% above the guide.

Clicktopurchase is the only platform enabling legal conclusion of the sale process by online private treaty, “best offers”, or auction.

The auction provides the option to be conducted by “gAbi”, the Artificial Intelligence auctioneer. Auctions are in real time, live, emulating the “traditional” ballroom experience, with a fully electronic audit trail. Every contract and audit trail are recorded in Blockchain.

“Every agent is now able to offer such a sales conclusion, and every buyer can purchase from anywhere in the world easily and without the intimidation of the auction room,” said Neil Singer, CEO of clicktopurchase. “With bidders still able to participate in competitive bidding but in the knowledge that it is totally secure and transparent, I have no doubt that the live ballroom will soon be a thing of the past.”

clicktopurchase enables legally binding offers to be submitted, where acceptance creates digital contract notes with legally binding encrypted and hashed signatures, whether by private treaty, tender of auction.

In October 2017, clicktopurchase became the first platform recording audit trails and property executions in a Blockchain ledger.

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