Artificial Intelligence

From the abacus to thinking machines

The terms analytics and artificial intelligence are often used in the same breath, but the two fields are subtly different – and at different stages of maturity. Jason Walsh asks how they differ and can they work together

Both analytics and AI are in the prediction game, with the end goal of discerning potential future outcomes from data. Picture: Getty/iStockphoto

They certainly sound like the same thing, and, given the typically loose and casual use of terminology in technology marketing, it is little surprise that the distinction between predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) is little understood. And yet the distinction is real – and understanding it is key to making the right choice when it comes to making full use of an organisation’s data.

At a fundamental level, both analytics and AI are in ...