South African enterprises in the financial, healthcare, and retail sectors are now prioritising data and AI projects to help them become more competitive and compliant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is according to Digicloud partner Synthesis<\/strong><\/a>, a software development specialist that helps local enterprises achieve more value from digital projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archana Arakkal, Practice Lead: Intelligent Data Engineering, says while data analytics and AI are top priorities for local enterprises, the use cases for these technologies vary by sector: \u201cIn retail, targeted and personalised marketing is very important, particularly as the local retail industry faces growing competition from international retailers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “For them, leveraging local data and actioning it is a basic necessity. They need to be able to deliver personalisation and advanced analytics in real-time \u2013 for example, creating a personalised journey while a customer is shopping online.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “This supports the instant gratification trend and makes sure the customer gets what they need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The financial sector also focuses on advanced analytics to support customer experience, but is also looking to predictive analytics to mitigate the growing fraud challenge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Arakkal says: \u201cBanks want to proactively manage this risk, and it comes down to their ability to analyse data from multiple sources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the healthcare sector, a key focus is integrating patient and treatment data from multiple sources to enable better healthcare and predictive insights on lifestyle and risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In all sectors, time is of the essence when it comes to developing solutions that offer actionable insights and real business value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Cloud Platform delivers on data, AI projects<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arakkal says Synthesis, using Google Cloud Platform tools, helps fast-track processes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt Synthesis, we research the different avenues in which we can tackle use cases, and test all the platforms and services so that when we are put in front of the customer we can give them a realistic view of practical approaches they can take to achieve their goals.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We also build out accelerator packages to ensure that when we are put into a professional services environment, we can provide consulting and practical build with the experience to help customers avoid mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Louis-Philip Shahim, Google Cloud Practice Lead at Synthesis, says Synthesis and its customers look to Google for data management and AI projects \u201cThis is where Google shines,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arakkal adds: \u201cFrom a market perspective, Google has the brand value and all the necessary capabilities in the AI and data space. They are still ahead of the curve in data and AI, and this is what grabs customers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “People want to leverage the latest and greatest. One important area where Google stands out is its ability to support the consolidation of a lot of data, and convert it into something useful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shahim says: \u201cEnterprises look to Google for innovation, especially in data and AI. For example, in the healthcare sector, Google\u2019s new MedLM<\/strong><\/a> generative AI models are set to support medical practitioners, medical research and development, and healthcare administration.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “In financial services, where compliance is crucial, Google offers solutions<\/strong><\/a> specifically for banking, capital markets, insurance and payments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Anti-Money Laundering AI<\/strong><\/a> helps organisations detect suspicious, potential money laundering activity faster and more precisely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google\u2019s Contact Centre AI<\/strong><\/a> offers expert assistance and helps ensure agent engagements are compliant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google\u2019s Customer Data Platform<\/a> <\/strong>drives personalised omnichannel experiences, Datashare<\/a> <\/strong>enables the exchange and monetisation of market datasets securely and at scale, and Embedded Finance API<\/strong><\/a> enables organisations to deliver relevant and contextualised financial services within any customer service offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Cloud also offers innovative solutions for retail \u2013 including Customer Data Platform, demand forecasting, and AI to enhance customer experiences and support staff in-store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n