The gap between AI talk and businesses reall use

Interesting observation from NBC News:

https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/wide-gap-ais-hype-use-business-rcna127210

Some Excerpt:

" In fact, only a small fraction of these industries have actually put AI to use in creating the products they sell, according to the Census Bureau survey of 200,000 businesses.

What is and what could be

Nationally, 4.4% of businesses say they've used artificial intelligence to produce goods or services in the past two weeks and 6.9% said they think they will use AI in the next six months.

This grouped bar chart shows the share of businesses in four industries that say 1. They have used AI in the past two weeks and 2. They think they will use AI in the coming six months. In construction, 1.5% have, and 2.1% think they will. In information industries, 16.6% have, and 23.9% think they will. In professional, technical and scientific services 10.2% have, and 15.7% think they will. In accommodation and food services 1.3% have, and 2.7% think they will.

                            Used AI     Think will use AI

Construction  1.5%              2.1

Information   16.6           23.9

Professional, technical and scientific services   10.2    15.7

Accommodation and food services  1.3  2.7

Notes: Data from the survey taken from Nov. 6 to Nov. 19.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau's Business Trends and Outlook Survey

Graphic: Joe Murphy / NBC News 

Why the divide? Nagel said that, to some extent, companies publicly lean into hype to show investors that they are committed to long-term growth. At the same time, the technology is in its “very, very early stages,” meaning that businesses used to working one way for a long time can struggle to adapt or find practical use cases.

A deeper explanation may be resources — or, rather, a lack thereof.

“When you get some exciting, new technological change, it does not magically appear in the economy,” said Kristina McElheran, an associate professor at the University Toronto who has studied how technology affects business strategy and performance. Instead, McElheran believes that it is education, access to talented employees, and money that help companies make use of new technologies.

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