Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) projects are well underway. However, these initiatives have moved past the pilot project stage and are now being actively developed and implemented.

To better understand how enterprises manage their AI/ML projects, TechRepublic Premium conducted an online survey in February 2020.

The survey asked the following questions:

• Who’s managing your AI/ML projects?
• What business areas are you applying AI/ML in?
• How important is strong training/support from AI/ML vendors?
• What are your major concerns about implementing an AI/ML project?
• Over the next 18 months what do you anticipate the AI/ML budget will look like?
• What steps are you taking to ensure that your AI/ML projects are successful?
• How knowledgeable is your upper management about AI/ML?

As spending for Al/ML projects increases in organizations, it also shifts focus away from C-level executives and into the hands of middle managers who are expected to strategize, develop, and implement these initiatives with business results. This creates a worry about disappointing management, but also introduces more collaboration between business areas and IT.

According to the survey, 23% of respondents said that their AI projects were co-sponsored and co-led between IT, data science, and business areas, 19% said that IT was leading these projects; and 11% reported that a data science department was leading AI projects.

Respondents reported that almost half (47%) of their AI projects were being implemented to improve corporate operational performance. Other areas receiving around one-third of corporate AI investment were: Marketing/sales (30%), engineering (27%), and IT (27%).

To read all of the results from the survey, plus analysis, download the full report here: Managing AI and ML in the enterprise 2020: Tech leaders increase project development and implementation.