Competing with Data and AI Challenge

April 21, 2020

Read The Full Prompt

Many companies today use data analytics or AI to create and capture value. For this assignment, please choose a company that uses data analytics or AI in a creative way to drive value creation, value capture, or its operating model.

You may focus on use of data analytics or AI to create new products or services, or you may focus on the use of data analytics or AI within the process of some part of its current business. Describe the current challenges and opportunities the company faces in this deployment. Then recommend changes the company needs to make to address these challenges or take advantages of these opportunities. While you should devote most of the space to value creation, please consider the value capture strategy as well.

Assignment

Create an approximately 750-word post to make your contribution on digit.hbs.org by 6 p.m. on April 21. (To make it interesting, please stay away from well-known big data/AI companies such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft.)

Please also respond to and comment on three other posts per assignment. Feel free to use graphics, data, videos, and links to other sites to corroborate your points.

Selected posts will be discussed in class.

Submitted (78)

Use Me if You Dare, Hack Me if You Can
Jack Q Ma
Last modified on April 18, 2020 at 1:43 pm
TikTok’s billion-dollar algorithm recommends videos that even you don’t know you’ll like. But wait a second...
Duolingo – Learning the language of AI
Krish Sreedevi
Posted on April 21, 2020 at 2:17 pm
Perhaps the most common new year resolution (behind losing weight) is learning something new- maybe a new language. As with losing weight, the resolve to learn a new language rarely outlives January. Duolingo, backed by AI, is here to make [...]
How Well Does Spotify Know You?
A Iglehart
Posted on April 17, 2020 at 11:59 am
Spotify has been able to use their vast amounts of data, analytical capabilities and AI tools to create a competitive advantage and a superior user experience.
Hello Barbie – AI Making Children’s Dreams Come True
Loti de Esteban
Last modified on April 17, 2020 at 5:53 pm
Since there have been toys, every kid has fantasized about having conversations with their beloved doll or stuffed animal. The partnership between Barbie's parent company and an artificial intelligence company has made that dream come true.
Stitch Fix: Your Personal Shopper
Anuj Lohia
Posted on April 20, 2020 at 6:35 am
Data analytics is at the backbone of Stitch Fix's business model - a personalised online shopper for men and women. The company has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years.
Macy’s: reinventing customer experience through data analytics
Andres Perez
Last modified on April 17, 2020 at 1:04 pm
Traditional retailers have been significantly impacted by the increasing penetration of e-commerce. Macy’s has focused on developing its data analytics capabilities to survive the fourth industrial revolution.
Rare Carat: The Kayak of Diamonds
Leah H
Last modified on April 18, 2020 at 5:42 pm
“Diamonds are hard, but buying them shouldn’t be."
Nike – just Do it with Data science and Demand sensing
Sneha Biswas
Last modified on April 18, 2020 at 12:13 am
Nike has increased its focus on direct-to-customers strategy and cancelled its contract with Amazon to be able to collect its customer data. Through a series of acquisitions of data analytics and AI-based startups, it plans to use this data to [...]
Tik Tok: Using AI to take over the world
Haoran
Last modified on April 19, 2020 at 12:32 pm
Tik Tok uses AI to promote specific contents to different consumers, and helps content creators make videos with music, filters and other enhancement.
Yes Health: Can AI help diabetes patients improve their fitness?
Megan M
Last modified on April 17, 2020 at 9:58 pm
As anyone who’s ever tried dieting knows, “eating healthy” is usually easier said than done! Yes Health is an app that uses AI to make it easier for overweight patients to track nutritional intake and to offer real-time, highly personalized [...]
BetterUp: Personalized Career Coaching For All
Elisa
Posted on April 21, 2020 at 2:16 pm
Personalized career coaching doesn't have to be unaffordable for the masses. BetterUp is showing us how bringing AI to this space can both reduce costs and create a more tailored solution
Palmaz Vineyards: Can big data analytics disrupt the centuries-old wine industry?
Matt B
Posted on April 19, 2020 at 4:46 pm
Palmaz Vineyards is pursuing a modern digital strategy in an ancient analog industry. Will their data-driven approach to winemaking bear fruit?
K Health: Your new primary care doctor?
lumos
Last modified on April 18, 2020 at 3:51 pm
No more googling your health symptoms or waiting for an appointment with your doctor — K Health combines AI with easy access to live physicians for a 24 / 7 primary care solution.
Skywise: Airbus bet on big data
Walter Mitty
Posted on April 18, 2020 at 7:40 pm
Airbus wants to create the leading data platform for the aviation industry
(Z)estimating iBuying opportunities for Zillow
tf
Posted on April 21, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Homeowners have strong opinions on the Zillow Zestimate, but it's hard to deny that it has created a great deal of value for buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords - but what can Zillow do to avoid a plateau as the [...]
Improving Representation in Media through Machine Learning
ka
Last modified on April 18, 2020 at 3:32 pm
Disney and Universal partner with Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media to use AI to improve representation in development process.
Affectiva: building AI that reads human emotions
MZ
Posted on April 20, 2020 at 10:48 am
As the amount of data we collect increases, companies are leveraging advanced analytics to drive insights also from the most unusual sources of data, including people facial expressions or speech. In fact, an interesting application of artificial intelligence (AI) and [...]
Quantified Communications – Can AI accurately assess human communication skills?
James Eckfeldt
Posted on April 17, 2020 at 3:50 pm
Quantified is revolutionizing communication skills assessment and coaching through AI and analytics. Can machines really assess human soft skills? What challenges and opportunities lie ahead?
Walmart: Using machine learning to reduce food waste
Colm Farrell
Last modified on April 20, 2020 at 8:33 pm
Food waste is a major problem across the globe. Grocery retailers incur significant costs from this wastage, particularly in the produce category. Walmart is taking this problem head-on with analytics using ‘Eden’: a machine learning algorithm that screens produce for [...]
Airbnb – using AI to evaluate if a guest is trustworthy
Kendra T
Last modified on April 21, 2020 at 2:42 pm
Airbnb has fueled its growth using machine learning and data analytics. It is now looking at using AI to determine if a guest is trustworthy or not - does this make Airbnb untrustworthy?
Brewing with a dash of Data and Analytics – Starbucks
panda
Posted on April 19, 2020 at 1:09 pm
Starbucks rides on DeepBrew (AI based tools) to keep operations efficient, free up time for partners, engage customers, and improve sales
How data analytics is revolutionizing the NBA
Petra
Posted on April 21, 2020 at 1:28 am
Professional basketball has looked very different over the past ten years thanks to the use of data analytics. It is almost as if these Analytics models have inputted the conventional NBA and outputted an entirely new game. A game where [...]
Strategic Education – can AI educate?
Alexander Levinskiy
Posted on April 21, 2020 at 6:38 pm
Strategic Education is at the forefront of introducing AI to the education needs. The company is well positioned as a post-secondary education provider with scale to deliver tailored solutions to its customers and AI seems to be an enabler of [...]
Woebot – Bringing mental health care to your finger tips
Jane Doe
Last modified on April 21, 2020 at 6:00 pm
Woebot is an artificial intelligence chatbot that provides basic mental health care relief at all times, using principles of cognitive behavioral therapy.
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