With the increasing adoption of tools like ChatGPT, Azure OpenAI Services, Copilot, and even Midjourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion, we’re rapidly entering a stage of technological advancement the likes of which most of us have never seen. The very definition of what it means to be a desk worker is going to change, and the biggest decision most of us in that space face is whether to embrace it and ride that wave, or to be on the back foot to everyone who has. Whole organisations will need to rethink their business offering, too, or will find their competitors offering better products faster and cheaper than they could ever achieve.
Ensuring you or your business keeps up-to-date with the incredible pace of these advancements isn’t impossible, but it won’t happen with your normal business processes.
1. Understand where AI can help
Get introspective and understand the offering you provide to your customers and your staff. Any place where your individual creativity or offering is not unique has the potential to be augmented and accelerated with AI tools. Even in scenarios where you need brilliant minds to develop brilliant ideas, working through those ideas and turning them into documents, presentations, designs, plans or anything else takes time that would be better spent coming up with newer, better ideas. The capability of AI is increasing on a day-by-day basis, so make sure you aren’t discounting possibilities because they aren’t achievable today. With the right insight, you might even be able to predict a problem that can’t be solved today but will be in the near future.
2. Continuously evaluate the right tool for the job
Make sure you’re picking the right tool for the job, not just the first tool you find. The market for AI tools is broad and broadening, and it’s essential to determine which ones will genuinely benefit your organization versus the ones that will either fall short or expose you to unnecessary risk. Do what you can to conduct thorough research, attend product demonstrations, and consider engaging trusted advisors or experts in AI to help navigate the evaluation process. Finally, find a way to develop these tools in isolation and slowly release them to your organisation when they are mature enough to be useful.
3. Do it safely
Maintaining data privacy and security has the potential to become a whole lot more complicated. You will need to ensure that tools are only used for purposes that they are appropriate to be used for, and that where there is a business need, the correct tools are provisioned to safely and securely meet that need. Failure to do so will invariably result in ‘Shadow IT’ of AI tooling, where your data will be leaked through the cheapest, most functional public tool available. Ensure that your cyber security team is aware of your strategy and direction and has the opportunity to offer insightful feedback on the product and process evaluation and selection.
4. Do it responsibly
While AI is not going to automate away entire roles, smart organisations should anticipate the need for workforce transformation when adopting AI tools. Where a team of five people might have once been needed, one person might now be enough to do the job smarter and faster. You might need to retrain employees, redefine roles, and emphasize the importance of human-AI collaboration. By focusing on the parts of roles that are better suited to human involvement you can define roles that are not only more rewarding and less prone to human error than ever before, but you can scale the quality and quantity of what you produce faster than ever before.
5. Iterate, iterate, iterate
The AI landscape is constantly evolving, and everyone must adapt to these changes or risk finding themselves or their organisation redundant. This means staying up-to-date with the latest AI developments, iterating on tool usage and refining strategies. Establishing a culture of continuous improvement will enable organizations to take advantage of emerging opportunities and stay ahead of the competition.
Everyone – from organisations to individuals – must take a proactive approach in embracing AI tooling to stay competitive in today’s dynamic business environment. By considering the alignment of AI tools with business goals, evaluating tool efficacy and fit, prioritising cybersecurity, transforming the workforce, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, organisations can unlock the full potential of AI.
Navigating the world of AI can be overwhelming, and there is often a significant difference between what tools claim to do and what they can truly achieve. Leaning on engaged, passionate people who have built their careers around these tools can help distil the near-overwhelming amount of information coming out about what these tools are and how they work into a more palatable understanding of how they can be applied to you or your business. If you are seeking guidance from trusted advisors and experts that can enhance your organization’s ability to navigate the complex world of AI and ensure a successful implementation, please get in touch.
