AI as a service allows startups, SMBs, and large businesses to adopt advanced technological capabilities for cost-effective pricing. Here, we’ll discuss the role of AIaaS in diverse industries and the importance of integrating artificial intelligence with business processes.
Artificial intelligence development is being widely adopted and implemented in various industries. Building AI models from scratch is expensive and time-consuming. That’s why many businesses opt for artificial intelligence or AI as a service (AIaaS) partnerships with reputed third-party service providers. It helps organizations customize existing solutions to suit their needs. The AI apps are easily scalable and suitable for small, medium, and large businesses.
Statistics show that the global AI market was $196.63 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 36.8% to touch $1,811.8 billion by 2030. Leading tech giants like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, etc., are making heavy investments in AI. These companies also offer cloud platforms and advanced applications for businesses to build robust ecosystems and strengthen their processes.
Let’s find out more about AI as a service and how an AI product development company can help businesses seamlessly integrate artificial intelligence into their internal processes.
AI as a service allows businesses to reduce the risk of investing in new technology. Organizations can start small and scale as it suits their budgets. Additionally, they can experiment and try different applications, tools, cloud platforms, etc., to find the right combination. For example, a third-party AIaaS provider which is a certified partner of Azure, Google, and AWS can help a business choose the best cloud solution for their needs.
Moreover, the latest AI technology requires supportive hardware like more powerful GPUs, FPGAs (field-programmable gateway arrays), APIs, etc. These elements are taken care of by the AIaaS provider so that apps run on remote cloud platforms and businesses can save their limited resources for core operations.
The following are the major types of AI as a service offered by AI product development companies.
Chatbots and digital assistants are the most common type of AIaaS offered by service providers. The bots are built using AI, ML, and NLP technologies to understand human input and deliver personalized output. They are used in customer service departments to reduce pressure on the executives and provide 24*7*365 support to customers. Similarly, digital assistants are used to set up self-servicing solutions for employees so that they can quickly access the information they need or troubleshoot a device when necessary.
Developers use ML frameworks to build AI models for different purposes. The frameworks provide the basic foundation and can be integrated with third-party apps. However, the process of building an ML data pipeline is complex and requires domain expertise. Businesses can opt for AIaaS as a part of AI/ML development services to access ML models and frameworks useful for their processes. The models are deployed on the service provider’s cloud servers and save computing resources for the enterprise.
API is an application programming interface, a solution that connects two or more software/ apps/ tools/ etc., to increase their functionality. Generally, businesses use AIaaS APIs for NLP (natural language processing) capabilities which help in sentiment analysis, knowledge mapping, translation, data extraction, etc. Similarly, computer vision helps extract elements from images and videos to help build applications for facial recognition, in-video search, ID verification, etc. APIs allow different software apps to continuously share information and deliver the final output to the end user.
Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) is a network of interconnected devices that extract, collect, and share information in real-time. It is an advanced version of IoT (Internet of Things) and has the capabilities of AI and ML technologies to analyze the collected data and identify patterns, trends, correlations, etc. The devices also help in detecting and fixing problems in the business processes to ensure seamless operations. AIoT devices send the information to cloud platforms where other applications are hosted. They help businesses make factories, mines, labs, etc., safer for employees and increase the lifespan of machinery. Service providers offer end-to-end AI development services to build, integrate, and monitor AIoT devices.
There is a high demand for no-code and low-code applications in the global market. That’s because these are pre-built models with existing features and can be personalized for different businesses. With custom templates and drag-and-drop editors, almost anyone with basic tech knowledge can use the applications. Additionally, these AI-based are hosted on the cloud servers of service providers and can be used on multiple devices simultaneously. Businesses that don’t want to invest in proprietary software opt for AI as a service to take advantage of no-code and low-code apps for streamlining their internal operations.
Generative AI has become a rage in recent times. GenAI applications are built on LLMs (large language models) to cater to diverse use cases like content generation, summarization, proofreading, coding, debugging, brainstorming, etc. By availing of third-party generative AI services, businesses can use prebuilt models and train them with proprietary data to get accurate and actionable insights. Since generative AI uses more computational power, the apps are hosted on the service provider’s cloud servers.
Businesses grow and expand as they establish themselves in the markets and attract new customers. That means it should continuously upgrade its systems and tools to keep up with increasing transaction volume. AI consulting services for AIaaS offer the much-needed scalability for businesses to seamlessly upgrade or downgrade their plans or strategies to suit their requirements.
AI as a service lets employees use advanced tools for automation, analytics, reporting, etc. This streamlines the workflow and accelerates the projects. Employees can finish more work in less time without compromising quality. It also allows the business to complete more tasks with the same number of employees. No need to hire additional candidates.
Adopting new technology like AI is expensive for a business. However, with AIaaS, enterprises don’t have to build the models from scratch or implement the changes on a large scale. AI as a service helps in reducing costs over time by optimizing resources, streamlining operations, etc., without needing heavy IT spending.
Statistics show that 91% of businesses have positive opinions about using AI for customer service. 64% of new buyers prefer interacting with AI chatbots rather than waiting for humans. By investing in AIaaS, businesses can digitally transform their customer service department and increase customer satisfaction through quick, personalized, and efficient support.
One of the biggest advantages of opting for AIaaS is automation. By automating repetitive tasks, organizations can save time for employees and allow them to focus on challenging jobs. This keeps employees engaged as they get to showcase their skills. It also reduces the risk of human error which is common when performing recurring tasks throughout the day.
AI development service providers offer predictive analytics, sentiment analysis, and many other forms of analytical services using artificial intelligence tools. With predictive analytics, a business can forecast future sales and trends, predict and prevent machinery breakdowns, schedule maintenance sessions, determine customer preferences, offer personalized shopping experiences, etc.
AI as a service is helpful in the healthcare industry as well. Hospitals can use AI and ML technologies to accurately diagnose patients’ conditions and detect diseases in the early stages. This allows them to offer better treatment and increase the survival/ recovery rate. Patients have a greater chance of survival and can also experience quality healthcare services.
Financial fraud is a concern for every business irrespective of the industry or market. AIaaS offered by leading companies helps set up triggers to detect fraudulent transactions online and offline. The AI tools analyze the data in real-time to identify and alert managers to take appropriate actions. Be it insurance, banking, healthcare, or eCommerce, AI plays a vital role in fraud prevention.
AI as a service has been helping manufacturers adopt smart practices to streamline production, raw material procurement, supply chain, logistics, distribution, quality control, customer service, and marketing. In short, AIaaS promotes the adoption of Industry 4.0 practices to make enterprises more efficient and productive.
AI as a service brings innovation, flexibility, and agility to businesses. It gives organizations a chance to modernize their process and gain a competitive edge. From reducing operational complexity to increasing scalability, transparency, and accountability, artificial intelligence revamps a business in several ways. The future of AI integration is bright.
However, it is not without a few challenges. For example, concerns about data security, compliance with data privacy regulations, data governance, and unexpected costs are some challenges an enterprise should overcome. Fortunately, these issues can be handled by partnering with an AI services company offering end-to-end AIaaS solutions tailored for each business. As more enterprises invest in AI as a service, we will see the business ecosystem grow stronger, resilient, and secure.
Several organizations are actively entering the digital environment and transforming their processes to benefit from the latest technologies in the market. AI as a service makes it easier for enterprises to adopt new technology and applications while reducing costs and risk factors.
By partnering with reliable companies that offer AI product development services, businesses can choose a tailor-made AIaaS package and initiate digital transformation at their own pace. Increase ROI without compromising quality and enhance customer satisfaction by offering personalized experience.
A few popular examples of artificial intelligence as a service in companies are IBM Watson, Google Cloud AI, Amazon, Artificial Intelligence, OpenAI, and MonkeyLearn.
AI as a Service and Software as a Service are similar yet different. While both are apps hosted on service providers’ cloud servers, AIaaS can be termed as a part of SaaS. AI as a service deals exclusively with AI/ ML apps while SaaS includes many more software solutions.
Yes, ChatGPT is AIaaS as it offers NLP capabilities to diverse end users (personal and professional). It is an advanced chatbot developed on LLMs and comes under generative AI applications.
According to GlobalMarketInsights (GMI), the AI as a service market was valued at $6.4 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28% by 2032 to touch $75 billion.
AI as a service can be termed AI outsourcing services offered by third-party AI development companies. AIaaS allows all businesses to adopt the latest technology and use it for various purposes without making expensive investments.
Intelligence as a service is a cloud-based solution where businesses can access valuable insights and analytics provided by third-party companies. The service providers use AI and ML tools to run advanced analytics. These reports are shared with businesses that opt for intelligence-as-a-service solutions. This helps organizations save money and resources spent on building and deploying AI data analytical models on-premises.
Fact checked by –
Akansha Rani ~ Content Creator & Copy Writer
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