Some businesses have used AI for years; others were prompted by the recent AI gold rush to jump on the train.

AI’s applications are far and wide as every business can leverage it differently to meet their goals. In this post, we’ll review AI application examples across 12 industries.

AI Applications Examples

AI has transformed the business landscape as time-saving tools complete tasks and help make data-backed decisions.

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Virtually all industries can benefit from AI, from medical providers to students pursuing an education. Below we’ll go over how AI applies to the three main business functions (marketing, sales, and service) and specific examples across different industries.

1. AI Applications in Marketing

Marketers can leverage AI to save significant time on routine tasks and spend more time on the more creative aspects of their job.

A time-saving example is AI analytics tools that use machine learning to process large amounts of data and surface insights that can help marketers track campaign performance.

Generative AI can help marketers research, brainstorm ideas, and create content like emails, product descriptions, and videos. Tools like HubSpot’s content assistant can help marketers automate the blog writing process, saving time while still generating high-quality and helpful content for audiences.

Many businesses already use AI-powered tools for segmented targeting and personalized ads on social media based on someone’s history and site behavior. Marketers can also use AI for content moderation to combat illegal and harmful content on their websites and forums.

2. AI Applications in Sales

Salespeople can use AI to simplify and optimize a sales process so it’s easier to sell.

For example, AI tools can analyze customer profiles and compile relevant data to help sales reps reach out with unique, personalized value propositions.

Sales teams can also use AI to forecast revenue and address potential roadblocks to success before they grow too large or use programs that simulate sales situations for training and development.

3. AI Applications in Customer Service

As with sales, AI is used in customer service to improve the customer experience and ensure customers can always find the information they need to have a delightful experience with their favorite brands.

Businesses can use chatbots that use natural language processing (NLP) and natural language generation (NLG) to understand human input and bring relevant answers. A CS team might also use a sentiment analysis tool to understand the tone of over-the-phone conversations to see how customers feel and identify areas for improvement.

Customer service call centers might use AI and machine learning tools, like automated call routing software that always transfers customers to the agent best suited to help.

4. AI Applications in Healthcare

The healthcare industry has used AI for a while. In fact, using AI in minimally invasive procedures is a pillar of the practice, and some providers are starting to use robot assistance during more significant procedures.

Examples of newer applications of AI in healthcare involve using machines that use a patient’s medical history to detect potential health complications or alert medical providers to changing conditions. AI has also been used to analyze clinical drug trial data much faster.

Professionals also use AI tools to prioritize in-appointment conversations, like speech recognition technology that can detect voices, transcribe conversations, and take notes as a doctor is present in conversation with a patient. Nuance Communications, Inc offers conversational AI to healthcare professionals.

5. AI Applications in Banking and Finance

80% of banks know the benefits of using AI, and many have leveraged it for some time.

Some customer-facing applications are virtual assistants or chatbots that use natural language processing to understand input and help customers find what they need within websites, mobile apps, and even over the phone.

AI also powers fraud detection, as machines learn a user’s typical transaction activity and history and flag out-of-the-ordinary transactions as potential security concerns to trigger security workflows to keep people safe.

6. AI Applications in Education

Education is most beneficial when it’s human-led, but AI is used to supplement instructors and students processes. For example, teachers can use audio transcription tools to generate transcripts from lectures or to record lesson plans, prioritizing accessibility and giving students a way to continue to learn the material after class is over.

AI tools can also increase productivity, like a teacher using a virtual assistant to set up reminders for assignments to help students stay on track with their responsibilities.

When used responsibly, students can leverage generative AI tools to learn more about subjects, understand their work, and get ideas for assignments.

7. AI Applications in the Environmental Sector

Scientists and environmentalists use AI to better understand environmental issues and address challenges like climate change. Some software monitors global deforestation on a large scale, like GEMS Air Pollution Monitoring platform, which analyzes data from 25,000 air quality monitoring stations in 140 countries to give insights on the impact of different air quality ratings on populations.

On a smaller scale, individuals can use smart appliances at home that monitor usage and help conserve energy.

8. AI Applications in Consumer Services

AI is used in consumer services to analyze behavior, predict preferences, and make recommendations based on predictions.

Netflix’s recommendation algorithm is a great example, as it learns from a user’s viewing history, ratings, and likes to find content that matches their interest. It even goes so far as to change the title image for movies and shows based on what will attract each user’s attention.

9. AI in Transportation and Navigation

Self-driving vehicles are a common application of AI in transportation. These cars are powered by algorithms that can detect and analyze a car’s surroundings to determine the safest route forward, like stopping when a light turns red or the best movements to make to parallel park.

10. AI Applications in Hiring and Recruitment

Application management is a great example of AI in hiring and recruitment. Specialized software sifts through resumes and cover letters to find keywords and experiences that match job descriptions and surface those to hiring managers.

These tools are unbiased in their application sorting, ensuring all candidates are assessed equally and without preferential treatment, and it saves hiring managers time for open positions that receive a large number of applications.

11. AI in Real Estate

Real estate agents often use AI to analyze the housing market. They get a sense of market conditions to determine how to price properties, make recommendations to clients on when they should sell their homes, and use historical forecasts and trends to understand how people will change buying habits during specific periods.

12. AI in Manufacturing

Robots are involved in many manufacturing processes, like AI-powered bots that receive instructions and use them to complete tasks on assembly lines. AI is also commonly used to identify faulty products for quality control.

Over to You

As shown, the applications for AI across different industries and business functions are vast. How will you apply it to your business?