Machine learning may be a buzzword now, but what could it actually mean for business and sales down the line? Will salespeople be replaced by Rosie from The Jetsons, or a more frightening HAL? Doubtful. But the ability to automate sales tasks could mean big changes on the horizon.

We accept that data is the key to designing successful, personalized engagements with our customers. SAP recently commissioned a research report by Aberdeen, which discusses the importance of a “data-driven understanding” of our customers on a granular level. Many of us have already spent time and set up systems to collect and track customer data that we know will be useful. And with machine learning, we may finally be able to easily and effectively make use of that information we’ve collected in ways humans alone cannot.

The ability to sift through and analyze years of customer data to pinpoint trends and tailor your actions is something we’ve been building towards for a long time.

Read full news article on Forbes.com