AI is everywhere, at least from a higher perspective. But is it part of your business? It depends on.
There is little argument that AI offers companies numerous possibilities and opportunities, and most executives know that. When polled by PwC, 86% of professionals said: AI was fairly well established part of business. But even if it’s mainstream, AI shouldn’t be treated as just another tool.
To get the most out of AI, you must first understand it so you can deploy it strategically in the way that makes the most sense for you, your team, and your goals. Ultimately, you optimize your spend and get the most out of every solution and system you bring into your organization. The following steps will help you figure out how to bring AI into your fold.
1. Research the strengths and weaknesses of AI.
AI can do a lot. However, it is not suitable for all situations. For example, if you want to aggregate and analyze large amounts of data, AI can be helpful. The same goes if you’re interested in adding an AI-powered chatbot feature to your website to provide customers with self-service mechanisms.
But what if your focus is on driving innovation within your company? AI can’t just brainstorm. An AI-enhanced program can of course help your employees come up with concepts. However, AI itself will not generate smart ideas because it has limitations that the human brain does not have, namely that it doesn’t really think or have common sense, as noted in an MIT Technology Review by Boston Globe writer Brian Bergstein.
So, where can you start if you want to weigh the pros and cons of AI for your business? One method of sifting through all available information about AI is to determine how your competitors in the industry are using it. Then evaluate whether those applications are just as beneficial for you. By being selective, you can make informed choices.
2. Start with small AI experiments.
It can be tempting to bring all kinds of AI products into your tech stack at the same time. However, making too many sudden changes can backfire. Plus, you may not be able to see which AI solutions work and which ones should go.
To avoid this problem, Tiago Ramalho, the CEO of AI consultancy Recursive, recommends a scientific approach by setting up small tests. “Pause [AI] to minimum achievable objectives”. writes Ramalho. “Develop a model for the lowest hanging fruit and build from there.” He points out that tackling everything in micro-bites will soon reveal any flawed assumptions. When they appear, you can address them right away.
Let’s say you wanted to see how AI could improve your overall customer service capabilities. Instead of revamping all of your systems, you might want to try an integration that uses AI, such as a notes transcription tool. Your supervisors and customer service representatives can test drive the tool before incorporating anything else into their workflows.
3. Link AI to specific objectives.
AI systems with lots of bells and whistles can make you feel faster and further than other companies. But if they don’t help you achieve your goals, they’re just attributes. This requires you to find a way to measure the effectiveness of AI implementations. The stats that work for your team are 100% dependent on your plans.
Take sales for example. Gartner Shows that nearly 9 out of 10 sales teams are using or planning to use AI in the near future. You may want your sales team to convert more prospects. That’s why you buy AI software that is meant to analyze sales calls and pinpoint areas of missed opportunity. Once flagged, those missed opportunities can be used to help sales team members close faster and more often.
By tracking everyone’s conversion rates and not changing anything other than applying an AI-based sales tool, you could see if the AI was working. Having this kind of “hard” evidence can be helpful, especially to get buy-in for other AI investments from executives.
4. Set aside time for employee training.
It’s not enough to just buy an AI system and expect everyone to use it. Your team members need time for training. And not just classical training. They deserve the space to play with the AI and familiarize themselves with what it can do.
Keep this in mind and try not to set overly ambitious goals for AI implementation. Most employees need time to adapt to change, especially if the change affects their normal processes. Additionally, some employees may be in different places on the tech learning and comfort curve. Not everyone falls into the “early adopter” category, and some people feel intimidated by the thought of adding another tech tool to their day-to-day activities.
A good way to make any switch to AI smoother is to ensure that the employees who will be affected are involved in the discussion sooner or later. Giving them a voice, asking questions and making contributions will help them take more ownership of the AI later on. Plus, they can come up with valuable concerns or ideas that you wouldn’t have thought of.
Does AI belong in your company? Probably. Your role is to figure out how to maximize the AI on the market and make sure any AI you choose serves a purpose.
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.