Business is going digital, but with every innovation the meaning of “going digital” changes. It used to mean reaching out to new customers or trimming expenses. Now, new digital technologies are changing entire business models and reshaping how companies serve their customers.

“Automation in combination with AI [artificial intelligence], machine learning is really going to revolutionize the way we work, the way we interact, and it’ll create new experiences for people,” said Shamayun Miah (pictured), partner and vice president of global business services at IBM Corp.

Miah spoke to John Furrier (@furrier) and Dave Vellante (@dvellante), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE’s mobile live-streaming studio, during this week’s IBM InterConnect, to talk about the impact new technologies are having on business. (*Disclosure below.)

New technology, working together

Machine learning, AI and IBM’s own cognitive computing are coming together to create real value, Miah said. Importantly, this value is not only found in reducing costs, but in innovation that can create new business models, even new industries.

The reality is that business already relies on automation. It’s used across production lines, in manufacturing, logistics and elsewhere. The new value comes from adding these learning technologies to what already exists to expand the scope and scale of what can be done, Miah explained. This machine learning is creating a new  level of intelligence that will change the experience companies deliver to their customers.

How people connect with these technologies is also a vital part of the coming revolution. “Augmented Reality is here, and it’s here to stay,” Miah said.

The use cases for AR are transformational and already having an impact on returns, he stated. There’s no consulting playbook for AR because the use cases are so diverse. However, the cases that show the best results with speed, quality and cost are the ones that will shape the industry, he pointed out.

There’s also an advancement in terms of thinking about digital business, and that’s happening because the possibilities for digital business are limitless. The world has never seen more access to tech at less cost, Miah stated. Physical businesses are changing into online digital applications.

“We’re moving into a world of consumer services,” he said.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of IBM InterConnect 2017. (*Disclosure: SiliconANGLE Media’s theCUBE is a media partner at InterConnect. Neither IBM nor other conference sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE