Role of AI
Perhaps the biggest revolution in computing in recent years has been the move to the cloud. No longer are individuals and organizations tied to their specific hardware: With cloud computing, it’s easy to scale up or down with just a few clicks and, typically, at a low cost. However, many are unaware of just how intertwined artificial intelligence is with the cloud’s rise and its use both today and in the future. Here are some of the ways artificial intelligence makes the cloud an intelligent cloud.
In-Place Data Analysis
Among the cloud’s advantages, perhaps its most important is simply its ability to hold a large amount of data. The scale of cloud infrastructures means the companies that run them can upgrade their storage capacities at a fairly low cost, which means they can offer these capabilities to their clients at a low price point. However, the owners of data stored in the cloud often want to run analysis on it, a process that’s difficult to do if the data must be stored locally. Cloud hosts can provide excellent value by being able to run AI analysis without having to transfer data over the internet, providing significant cost savings and better ease of use. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that the cloud isn’t just about data storage; processing capabilities matter as well. For a wide range of workloads, in-place AI analysis on the cloud is the preferable solution.
Adopting Automation
The ability of computers to automate tasks has historically been a main driver in their adoption in commercial and other environments. However, previous methods of adopting automation have typically been limited to a fairly narrow range of tasks. When empowered by AI, however, organizations can expand their automation capabilities to a much broader set of tasks. When users rely on an AI-capable cloud installation, they’ll be equipped to find new methods of freeing their employees to spend time on important tasks while AI on the cloud handles more mundane chores. This is a field where significant advances are expected in the coming years; as AI is better able to comprehend both structured and unstructured data, it will be more suited to making decisions that match and even exceed those made by their human counterparts.
Superior Data Management
The cloud offers a great opportunity to organizations—virtually limitless storage capacity at a reasonable cost. However, this sometimes leads to a scenario where users aren’t quite sure how to best organize their data, which can quickly lead to a situation where the sheer amount of data being stored becomes cumbersome and even overwhelming. AI embedded within the cloud can help groups identify new means of organizing data and even reorganize it automatically. In addition, the ability of AI to determine different document types can let it place data where it belongs even if the people who put it in the cloud place it in the incorrect spot. Many of these tasks can be automated, making it a seamless procedure.
Self-Management
Few would argue that AI is enough to truly manage a cloud user’s data and operations by itself, but few would argue that these capabilities aren’t on the horizon. Already, the AI in the cloud is able to automate sophisticated tasks with ease and identify possible mistakes made by users. In the future, it seems likely that clouds will be able to suggest and implement new methods of data storage and computation while offering even better monitoring. Perhaps most exciting, it seems probable that clouds in the near future will be able to heal on their own, effectively letting them run unattended while maintaining high reliability.
Advantages for Cloud Operators
The highly competitive nature of running a cloud service means operators need to squeeze any advantage possible, and AI is leading the way to making improvements. Furthermore, this competition means operators can’t rest easy; falling behind in an area as critical as AI means they won’t be able to offer the same prices and performance as their competitors. These improvements bring the costs down to end users. While running a cloud can be a wise business move for the right companies, the margins tend to be small; it’s the sheer size of the cloud that makes it a potentially profitable venture.
Improved Data and Computation Management
The sheer scale of cloud infrastructure is the main reason why they can operate with such high efficiency, but there are always gains to be made. Although effectively planning the hardware behind a particular cloud’s infrastructure is essential to making it successful, the unpredictable nature of how clients will use the cloud, and its constantly evolving nature, means that small tweaks to the infrastructure can go a long way toward operating competitively. AI, particularly with machine learning and big data analysis capabilities, can help operators learn how to tweak their infrastructure to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible. Running a cloud involves constantly purchasing new hardware in a growing market, and information learned from AI can help guide future purchases.
Better Security
As robust as security is on most cloud installations, there are always malicious actors going to great lengths to exploit its users. Furthermore, a growing number of attacks are tailored to specific organizations, and these attacks can be particularly hard to detect within a single organization. Cloud installations give their operators the ability to utilize AI security techniques across a broad range of users, letting them detect attacks before they succeed against their users. The advantages benefit all users of the cloud, helping to halt security breaches before they have a chance to succeed.
The cloud is here to stay, but its constantly evolving nature means it’s typically in flux. Although AI often makes headlines for its benefits to end users, some of its most important advantages occur behind the scenes, letting providers offer new types of services while operating more efficiently. Combining artificial intelligence with the cloud is a logical move, and it's one that will lead to better service and even more affordable prices in the years to come.