• The launch of ChatGPT and similar services has democratised the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in many industries, and companies are now experimenting with and implementing the technology.
• The main use cases so far for generative AI have been to improve operational efficiency, enhance innovation and support customer service through using chatbots.
• Most businesses still rely on non-generative AI, however, and it remains important for them to understand the limitations of generative AI technology, such as hallucinations.
• The biggest impact in the short term will be felt during democratic elections, particularly in countries with a polarised electorate, a fragmented information ecosystem and global influence ( including the US).
• As AI implementation continues, sustainability will become a major barrier, given that generative AI systems use a lot of electricity and have a large carbon footprint.

Since OpenAI (US) launched ChatGPT in November 2022, AI, especially generative AI, has been driving investment for corporate entities. Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple (all US) have all been racing to be the most valuable companies in the world, with Nvidia leveraging its chips, Microsoft its cloud, and Apple its iPhone and other hardware. They are all looking to create a compelling ecosystem, even though this may put them even further in the crosshairs of regulators. But is progress in AI moving the technology from an experimentation to an implementation phase? This white paper will look at how companies have been using generative AI to date, and whether AI-generated content has had a major impact on elections so far in 2024.

1. How are companies using generative AI?
2. Can AI-generated content have an impact on elections?
3. Sustainability will become a major barrier to AI adoption