Which should you learn, AI or Cloud Computing?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cloud Computing are impacting our daily lives in numerous ways ⁠— think Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri.

Artificial Intelligence solutions are also helping to streamline business processes, with a growing number of cloud-based services being used to  increase productivity and reduce labour costs.

Amazon Web Services and Microsoft 365 are two leading vendors providing companies with cloud-based AI solutions.

The AI cloud revolution

According to Statista, we’re at the start of the “AI cloud revolution.” The global artificial intelligence market looks set to reach a massive $126 billion by 2025, with a significant proportion of this attributable to “AI in the cloud.”

To keep up, businesses need employees who are proficient in both technologies. But, which skills should they focus on first?

What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to any human-like behaviour displayed by a system or machine. It occurs when computers are programmed to mimic human behaviours based on data they’ve collected previously on similar behaviours. AI can collect huge amounts of data instantaneously and use it to solve problems, without the necessity for human supervision.

AI is now part of our everyday lives, with AI solutions for natural language processing, autonomous driving, manufacturing, healthcare, and entertainment being just a few use cases.

It’s a powerful tool that companies can use to generate data, and, for example, process their customer calls or improve operations. AI can work faster and more efficiently than humans, streamlining business processes.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing is when computing services, including servers, databases, networks, software, and storage, are delivered via the internet or 'the cloud.' Rather than investing in computing infrastructure or data centres, companies can rent access to space in the cloud from a cloud service provider.

This decreases costs because companies don’t have to pay for, or maintain, expensive equipment. They can simply pay for what they need, when they need it, on a rolling basis.

Cloud Computing powers up a host of services, from Gmail to Netflix, and it’s become the default option for apps, with many vendors now offering their applications as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) rather than standalone products.

How are AI and Cloud Computing related?

AI technology, coupled with Cloud Computing, boosts organisational efficiencies and enables companies to make more strategic, insight-driven decisions.

The cloud’s flexibility and agility work to lower costs, while AI makes it easier to manage data, analytics, and workflows for an optimised customer experience.

Implementing AI in Cloud Computing brings with it many advantages, such as: 

• Improved decision-making: The cloud can only store and process information. By using AI, it’s possible to identify patterns and extract valuable insights that can be used to further business growth.
• AI can sort and analyse vast amounts of data in the cloud, efficiently, saving time, money and human resources.
• Using AI in cloud computing prevents issues of delay inaccessibility, enabling the cloud to solve potential problems earlier.

Do you need specialist knowledge before training in Cloud Computing or AI?

Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud are built around Linux concepts. So, having some basic knowledge of an operating system like Linux, and some basic networking skills, is recommended before starting a course in Cloud Computing.

Before starting a course on AI, it’s also helpful to know a programming language like Python or Java. A good working knowledge of mathematics is helpful too, when it comes to writing algorithms.

What should you focus on first?

Nowadays, almost all types of technology come with cloud backup services. So, many companies decide to focus on building their cloud computing skills, then introducing AI after operations have grown sufficiently.

Having said that, AI is starting to dominate the tech world, with many companies already investing heavily in cloud computing AI services. Training staff in both Cloud Computing and AI can help to maximise the opportunities provided by both technologies.

Perhaps we can help?

At Firebrand, we specialise in aceelerated courses that enable your team to get certified in a fraction of the time.

For the past eleven years in a row, we’ve been named one of the Top 20 IT Training Companies in the World. We offer accelerated courses in all aspects of Cloud Computing, AI, Machine Learning, and more.

Perhaps one of them is right for you? See them all.