Data Industry Predictions for 2022: Real Ways AI is Coming to the Rescue

We’re now more than a month into 2022, and one thing we can say for sure is that the world hasn’t “gone back to normal.” For many of us, remote working and online meetings are a fact of life. App and subscription services deliver our music, television, and groceries. Compared to just two years ago, the way we work and live has changed drastically.

One of the most prevalent, yet least understood ways we keep our modern world running is with artificial intelligence and machine learning.  While we may be years away from the AI capabilities seen in movies and sci-fi novels, we’re living in a time with real, noticeable improvement. According to Jayson deVries, Senior Product Manager and Artificial Intelligence expert at M-Files, “it’s not magic, it’s just math.”

Today’s AI will not only help you work faster, it’ll help you work smarter. It can’t do all your thinking for you, but it can augment and refine your processes. So, where will AI take us in 2022? Here are some predictions:

You’ll have more time to do what you do best

You were hired because you’ve spent time researching in your field and honing your skill set. Now it’s time to use it! AI is getting increasingly adept at taking on mundane tasks and rote information housekeeping, freeing you up to focus on your areas of expertise.

“In the past few years, we’ve seen very successful application of artificial intelligence in the realm of automation,” says deVries. “It’s able to improve workforce efficiency and give knowledge workers more time to spend on the tasks they are best at.”

You’ll be able to find the right information faster and easier

Search capabilities will be able to transcend the words you use and dive deeper into the actual subject matter. Advanced image analysis can sift through photos and videos. You’ll be able to find answers, not just documents. When AI knows who you are and what you’re working on, it can offer results with impressive accuracy.

“Searching for content will change from just finding documents with a specific text string, to a ‘Google-like’ set of results and answers based on an understanding of what you are looking for,” says Antti Nivala, Founder and CEO of M-Files. “Vendors will also be able to start providing better and more relevant content recommendations based on who you are and the task you’re trying to accomplish.”

Many businesses are making searches smarter by creating Knowledge Graphs. This allows them to map expertise across their organizations and connect subject matters. “From a knowledge management perspective, this enables professionals to discover new, applicable content, and to identify SMEs within their organization,” says deVries.

Remote collaboration will become more intuitive

We’ve all experienced Zoom fatigue. Somehow sitting in back-to-back meetings can feel even more taxing in a virtual setting. Thankfully, a metadata-driven document management platform can help you avoid unnecessary meetings and endless email chains.

M-Files allows you to share documents with your coworkers seamlessly and collaborate in real time. Multiple users can edit simultaneously and see the changes on the document. You won’t get confused by different copies of the same file and every alteration is automatically saved.

With M-Files, collaborating can also be more secure. It allows you to automatically manage access and user rights to minimize risk.

The future is unwritten, but as we navigate the new realities and challenges of 2022, we should look to AI as a powerful tool, not an across-the-board solution. Its main job is to give us more knowledge and freedom, so we can do what we do best.