Many believe implementing artificial intelligence (AI), though beneficial, is expensive. And that is true because AI technologies cost a lot. Enter no-code AI, which can be a means to alleviate that particular problem for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). But what is it, exactly?
What Is No-Code AI?
No-code AI refers to using a platform that doesn’t require coding to develop an AI system; hence, it is also known as “codeless AI.”
No-code AI allows non-expert coders to create an AI system, typically for business purposes. The self-developed AI system can help users classify and analyze data to build accurate models and make predictions.
No-code AI primarily aims to democratize AI or bring it to the masses.
Why Is No-Code AI Critical for Businesses?
Not all organizations have the financial resources to enjoy the benefits of AI, particularly automating data gathering and analysis for better business decision-making.
Using AI typically means hiring data scientists to develop the AI system’s model, which will tell it what information to collect and how to analyze it to bring about the desired results—what users need to make the right decisions for their business.
Employing a single data scientist in the U.S. costs US$$141,742 per year. SMBs in the U.S., meanwhile, earn US$$71,813 a year. If you do the math, most SMBs can’t afford the services of a data scientist, and that doesn’t include the financial resources to pay for an AI system developer.
It doesn’t help that professional software developers and coders comprise only 0.17% of the world’s population.
What Are the Benefits of No-Code AI?
No-code AI provides several advantages, notably:
- Brings together business experience and AI: Data scientists, no matter how knowledgeable or experienced, may not be experts in your business. You, of course, know your business inside and out but may not have the coding skills to build an AI system for it. No-code AI can bridge that gap. You can use your business know-how to develop your own AI solution.
- Doesn’t require tech-savviness: No-code AI platforms typically have a drag-and-drop user interface (UI) that doesn’t require users to have coding or programming knowledge and skills. Think of it as using a readily available website template on WordPress, for instance, to create your business website.
- Won’t break the bank: We mentioned earlier that most SMBs might not even be able to hire a data scientist, much less their own AI system. Creating a no-code AI solution, meanwhile, only costs US$60–1,500 a month. Some providers even offer pay-per-use models.
- Frees up data scientists’ time: Organizations that already have a data scientist can help them focus on complex tasks instead. Using no-code AI solutions allows users to tackle their own problems instead of bugging the experts for simple fixes.
- Allows businesses to scale: If the first AI solution you build works, you can continue creating others to slowly but surely automate the way you do things. It speeds up the growth process and improves your bottom line along the way.
What No-Code AI Tools Can You Try Out?
Several no-code AI platforms offer free trials and affordable plans if you wish to start reaping the benefits that AI usage provides. They include Akkio, Apteo, Runway, Google AutoML, Amazon SageMaker, and Lobe.
Does No-Code AI Have Limitations?
Despite the ease of use that no-code AI platforms offer, they also have shortcomings, such as:
- Personalization: Some no-code AI solutions don’t offer the ability to fine-tune and tweak the parameters of the code. If you use precise data, customization can be complicated.
- Data bias: Because you may be too close to the data, you may not look at it objectively. You may build a model that tells you what you want to hear.
- Shadow IT: If you don’t involve the IT department, you may create a shadow IT problem. Without securing the AI system properly, it may be vulnerable to threats, putting your company at risk.
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No-code AI has pros and cons, that’s true, but we can’t argue with the fact that it did make good on its promise—bringing AI to the masses.
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