Nearly half (47%) of businesses have now implemented machine learning (ML) into business processes, but half (50%) do not have a single member of staff employed in an AI, ML, or data science role.

This is revealed by new research from STX Next, a software consulting company, which surveyed 500 global CTOs about the biggest challenges facing their organisation in their 2023 Global CTO Survey.

Further growth in ML and AI could be hindered by some of the findings, as companies embark on AI adoption without hiring the appropriate specialists.

Still, 41% of technical leaders surveyed said they have yet to implement any AI technologies at all, underlying the scale of the progress that still needs to be made.

Some of the key findings showed that despite AI’s rapid growth, some of its adoption appears to be haphazard – just a quarter of companies have a separate AI/Data division, and only 38% have between just one and five members in a dedicated AI/ML or data science role.

This draws to question what AI is being used for if dedicated teams are not implemented with equal fervour.

The most common AI solution with businesses STX identified in the survey at present is image detection/segmentation (23%), followed by recommendation systems (20%) and optical character or text recognition (19%).

However, more complex AI tools are on the way, with 24% of companies saying they have now implemented natural language processing at their business, with 22% saying they have implemented deep learning.

“AI’s popularity this year has been driven largely by the success of large language models like ChatGPT. However, AI has many use cases beyond models like these and can support many business functions. In 2024, we hope to see an increase in uptake of AI and ML in other business processes,” Bartek Roszak, head of AI at STX Next said.

“That said, the existing applications of AI that the survey uncovered are largely unsurprising, as AI’s ability to tackle repetitive processes and recognise patterns within images and text is clear and evident to those working in technical roles. What is surprising is that these are still only adopted by a quarter of businesses. AI can and will revolutionise many industries, but there is still work to be done in educating the market on its capabilities.

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“Our survey results have also revealed that while many leaders acknowledge AI’s potential, there is still a need for more investment in specialised resources to support its development. Implementing machine learning in one form or another will soon be crucial in keeping pace with changes in the industry and meeting customer expectations.

“This will no doubt become more prominent over the next year and beyond as organisations look for more ways to economically and efficiently scale their business and tackle new challenges. In many cases, leaders will need to assess the extent to which off-the-shelf ML solutions can support their businesses, and work out how much they need to invest in R&D to deliver the required level of expertise.

“AI and ML’s popularity shows no sign of slowing over the coming twelve months. CTOs should embrace it’s potential, balancing the needs of the business with the unique needs of clients and customers. Those that are able to leverage its potential by enhancing their skillsets will reap the rewards in 2024.”