These Non-Tech Companies Are Investing In An AI Future

Artificial intelligence is not just a casual interest of the tech industry. It’s a universal imperative.

“In ten years, every company will have to be an artificial intelligence company or they won’t be competitive,” Loup Ventures Managing Partner Doug Clinton wrote in a Thursday note.

"Every company," he emphasized, noting disruptions span energy and transportation, food and finance, retail and health. Some firms are already anticipating AI standards of their industries and investing in relevant technologies and strategies. Their efforts, Clinton said, position them to profit.

Among the many corporations with critical foresight, here are some of the notable:

Food

Domino’s Pizza, Inc. DPZ, which has so heavily invested in innovation many consider it a tech company that sells pizza rather than a pizza company with technology, currently uses AI in its mobile ordering platform and is testing delivery robots.

Meanwhile, further up the food chain, agricultural firm Monsanto Company MON is experimenting with AI to develop crop protection techniques.

Retail

Amid threats from Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN and the greater e-commerce space, Macy’s Inc M and Under Armour Inc UAA are leveraging the expertise of International Business Machines Corp. IBM.

The former is testing an AI shopping assistant as the latter designs shoes through AI and lets machine learning guide personalized fitness apps and targeted marketing strategies.

Health

Pharmaceutical GlaxoSmithKline plc (ADR) GSK is testing technology for automated drug design to hasten research, while IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. IDXX produces animal health diagnostic tools using machine learning.

Energy

Halliburton Company HAL and Pioneer Natural Resources PXD are informing their practices with data analytics, which could eventually guide AI for device assessment and autonomous drilling.

Construction

Caterpillar Inc. CAT uses AI for preventative equipment maintenance, while Deere & Company DE is partnered with a drone-tech startup to provide clients aerial images and site insights.

Financial & Professional Services

Technology has become so disruptive in the financial space that it birthed a new breed: the fintech industry. Many traditional financial firms are embracing innovations to compete.

AI guides the stock picks of BlackRock, Inc. BLK and decreases asset management costs for Northern Trust Corporation NTRS, and Nasdaq Inc NDAQ uses machine learning for its data analytics and market surveillance products.

Similarly, Accenture plc ACN informs its consulting practice with AI research, and Interpublic Group of Companies Inc IPG uses machine learning to guide emotionally influential advertising.

Transportation & Logistics

As the autonomous vehicle theme continues to play out, car manufacturers and anyone with exposure to the auto industry ━ from delivery services to ride hailers ━ are racing to adapt.

Avis Budget Group Inc. CAR is partnering with Alphabet Inc GOOG GOOGL’s Waymo to pilot an autonomous rental fleet as Boeing Co BA plans tests for autonomous commercial jets.

FedEx Corporation FDX is also collaborating with automakers to automate driving, and it already uses AI to voice-activate orders through Alexa.

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