While current production of machine learning projects are low, 96% of companies expect them to increase in the next couple years.

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Some 96% of companies expect to see an explosion of machine learning projects in production by 2020, according to a Tuesday Univa report. While 93% of respondents reported that they had initiated machine learning projects, only 22% of the projects have actually moved into the production phase.

The report surveyed more than 344 tech and IT professionals across 17 industries, said the Tuesday press release. According to the release, the survey found challenges with migration as the biggest reason so few projects currently make it to production.

SEE: Artificial intelligence: Trends, obstacles, and potential wins (Tech Pro Research)

The majority of responses (88%) reported a direct correlation between the use of high-performance computing (HPC) and machine learning, with 39% of employees working substantially with HPC and 46% working minorly with HPC, said the survey.

Machine learning's biggest challenges in production were lack of experience with using the technology, complicated data flow, compliance, regulatory requirements, and more, said they survey. Regardless, machine learning drives a huge area for value, including IT optimization, security, fraud detection, and natural language, said the release.

These machine learning projects will most likely employ GPUs--in fact, 88% of respondents are already using, or expect to use, GPUs for machine learning production in the future. Additionally, 82% of respondents also plan on using hybrid cloud infrastructure in their machine learning projects, said the report.

While more than 16 industries are using machine learning processes, industries including technology (64%) and financial services (52%) are predicted to be the leaders in machine learning adoption, said the release. This isn't a surprise, with the amount of processes in both industries that have the potential to be automated.

Other industries that will lead machine learning adoption are healthcare (43%), retail (31%), telecommunications (31%), and manufacturing (31%), said the release.

Check out this TechRepublic article to see how 10 companies are successfully using machine learning.

The big takeaways for tech leaders:

Machine learning is predicted to skyrocket in the next two years, with 96% of companies expecting to use it in production projects. -- Univa, 2018.

The rise in machine learning will bring an increase in GPU and hybrid cloud use. -- Univa, 2018.

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