The Rise Of Infused Lower-Level AI

AI is human-like. Our surface-level perception of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its Machine Learning (ML) power comes to us in the form of smart chatbots, automated job and task functions that we previously associated with human beings - and the ability to present users with digitally-powered inference, logic and (to a degree) a smart level of understanding.

While the shiny side of AI continues to make headlines, its user-level gloss perhaps belies the real work that’s going on below the surface.

When non-technical users start to interact with data analytics services to ask business questions of an organization’s data streams, the upper-tier results point commercial staff to start new sales promotions or to open new stores, but the lower-tier AI is working hard to combine technologies like semantic data modeling layers with explainable AI logic. This is, if you will, infused AI that is embedded into operational IT systems and may never really be noticed by the users themselves, except perhaps in an infused and subliminal ‘it just works’ kind of way. So where is it happening?

Brewing up infused AI

Known for its software designed to enable organizations to cost-optimize native Microsoft cloud technologies, Nerdio is taking the infused AI message to heart in terms of its latest platform developments. The firm offers software development and cloud engineering services that work with Microsoft Azure, Windows 365, Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop and Microsoft Intune. Perhaps best known for its expertize in Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop services, it is now providing upgrades and new features to Nerdio Manager for Enterprise (NME), version 6.0 and Nerdio Manager for MSP (NMM), version 5.0.

Brand version iteration notwithstanding then, why does any of that matter or give us the ability to understand the concept of infused AI?

It’s not the fact that there are virtual desktop services on offer here - although they indeed are - is because those services need management for day-to-day operation and we can now apply generative AI to that management burden so that tasks like optimization (which in this case could mean allocating more cloud power to new business functions as they come online, or provisioning and providing virtual desktop functions for an advanced user group, or standing down resources when they are not needed etc.) can be performed automatically and proactively.

Optimized inside

These IT processes are often referred to as endpoint management functions they sit close to application delivery enhancements. Because this is the world of virtual desktops, IT managers can approach cost optimization and achieve what is suggested to be savings of up to 75% in Azure expenses or costs compared to unoptimized deployments.

"As technology evolves, so does Nerdio's commitment to empowering IT professionals worldwide," stated Vadim Vladimirskiy, CEO of Nerdio. "Our latest product updates will help organizations consolidate and cost-optimize their cloud-based desktop environments while unlocking AI-powered capabilities. Nerdio sets the standard for Desktop-as–a-Service (DaaS) deployment, aiding IT teams at enterprise organizations to simplify their Microsoft cloud environments and create a first-in-class user experience for thousands of customers.”

Beyond VM auto-scaling

We said that this story is about infused automated optimization. This could feature actions such as Virtual Machine (VM) auto-scaling i.e. increasing or decreasing the number of VM ‘instances’ that a cloud service delivers to a company so that the optimal number of cloud resources are purchased depending on cyclical usage patterns - and, also, the combined management of attributes within those virtual machines so that we know how much CPU processing power, memory, Input/Output capability they are capable of at any one time.

Nerdio says that his platform's new cost optimization features ‘go beyond’ simple stop-and-start VM auto-scaling. From storage optimization for Azure Files and Azure NetApp Files to Log Analytics, OS disk swapping, Advanced Predictive Drain Mode and multiple scaling triggers, Nerdio Manager offers alignment of Azure infrastructure with real-time user demands. The company promises that its automation-centric admin features help reclaim working hours for IT professionals and also ensure task execution happens with confidence with additional built-in self-recovery mechanisms for unforeseen issues.

“Nerdio Manager for MSP (NMM) 5.0 transforms the operational capabilities of Managed Service Providers while bolstering security and enhancing user satisfaction, all while maximizing margins. Anchored by features like AssistPro, an AI-powered in-app assistant delivering instant, context-aware support and Unified App Management (UAM) ensuring consistency and simplicity across customer environments, NMM 5.0 streamlines app deployment, enhances security, and ensures a uniform app experience,” notes Vladimirskiy and team, in a technical product statement.

Infused AI to go deeper, broader

As ‘exciting’ at system level automation isn’t to most users, these are the same users that want to know all about what’s going wrong when their IT services don’t work. Thankfully, there are enough Management Service Provider (MSP) cloud engineers, software developers and systems administrators out there who really do care about boot image validation (stuff that makes your cloud work) and diagnostics to make all these things happen for us in the real world.

We may be at something of inflexion point in the application of infused AI automation at the lower-level tiers of computing i.e. to what degree do we keep applying these advancements and when they themselves reach a point of diminishing returns? The answer from Nerdio would surely be - well, not yet, which is why these developments are now highly prevalent and (arguably) pertinent.

When we’re really enriched with all-encompassing infused AI at the system level you may not even know it. If you really want to know, look inside the IT room and see if they’re having a cup of herbal infusion.