Now that artificial intelligence is becoming universal, companies are facing the gauntlet of successful AI implementation.

Skill shortages, underdeveloped cybersecurity practices and insufficient infrastructure are some of the issues facing businesses’ AI projects. In partnership with Dell Technologies Inc., Technologent is attempting to ease the transition.

“It’s a vast new landscape with a lot of new skill sets, and that brings us to a shortage of skilled workers,” said Jon Keller (pictured left), field chief technology officer of Technologent. “By 2030, the … Wealth World Economic Forum says 90% of the workforce is going to have to retool their skill sets to be more AI, more technology, more cyber resilience friendly. That’s a big lift, and we’re not going to get there without the assistance of really good tools and automation and AI itself.”

Keller and Kenneth Bachman (pictured right), director of the Global Technology Office at Dell, spoke with theCUBE Research’s Christophe Bertrand at the Cyber Resiliency Summit, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed why AI implementation can be so difficult and Dell AI Factory. (* Disclosure below.)

Navigating roadblocks to AI implementation

In an era of increasing cyberattacks, generative AI models can be particularly susceptible, according to Bachman. For example, an attacker might target the data source of an AI model and poison the well, so to speak.

“Just like every other technology platform in a customer’s infrastructure, they often perform critical functions for the business, and therefore they need to be resilient, they need to be protected,” Bachman said. “What’s alarming is that in most cases, there aren’t a lot of conversations that I’ve been a part of and I meet with customers every day, where the thrust of the conversation is, how do I protect my AI infrastructure?”

Better data and AI protection is part of Dell’s partnership with Technologent, a full service IT value integrator that specializes in applied AI. The company helps develop cybersecurity for Dell AI Factory, described as “AI in a box,” after it is delivered to customers.

“If there isn’t a business value that we’re mapping to … then we’re creating expensive toys,” Keller explained. “We have to really commit to their success, commit to their making everybody we work with a champion and as successful as they can in their organization and really transform their IT for the future. AI is just another tool that allows that to happen.”

Dell AI Factory solves two issues: finding a business-relevant AI application and deploying it, according to Bachman. Technologent assisted in adding an AI assistant to the Dell PowerProtect Data Manager platform within the Dell AI Factory, making the process more accessible for customers.

“[Companies] spend an inordinate amount of time focused on standing up a technology stack and trying to put all the pieces of Humpty Dumpty together to actually make the thing work,” Bachman said. “To the extent that you can avoid that technology complication and hit the easy button, then I would certainly recommend that.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE Research’s coverage of the Cyber Resiliency Summit:

(* Disclosure: Dell Technologies Inc. sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither Dell nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE