Artificial intelligence is one of the most popular technologies in the workplace today. Yet many are failing to embrace it. What’s holding them back, and how can businesses adopt AI with confidence?
Obstacles to adoption
Ask 10 people what comes to mind when they hear the term ‘artificial intelligence’ and most of them will have the same answer: robots. And why wouldn’t they? Robots are the face of AI. They’re how this technology has been showcased in movies and TV shows. Why? Because robots are exciting!
But this is one of the biggest obstacles to AI adoption today. A subset of business owners look at things like Wall-E and Ava from Ex Machina and – quite rightly – think, ‘how do they fit in with what we do?’ They don’t. There’s much more to artificial intelligence than what’s often been portrayed in movies.
Do you know what wouldn’t make a good Hollywood blockbuster? A film about an out-of-control business forecasting tool. And yet, it’s the same type of technology. When we look at AI from this perspective, it’s easier to see how it could fit in with everyday operations.
How to embrace AI in your business
Here are our top 10 tips for making AI a natural part of your day-to-day operations.
- Understand what AI really is: AI isn’t just about cyborgs. Artificial intelligence technologies can be used to enhance everyday business processes, driving much greater efficiency and productivity.
- Identify your problem: AI for the sake of it is unlikely to bring value. Think about your biggest pain points in how you work, and use this as your foundation for implementing new AI-powered solutions.
- Align goals & technologies: Once you know what you want to achieve, you can begin to explore the many different types of tools that are out there. Get started by looking at our recommendations.
- Prepare for success: If you haven’t already, make sure you have an environment that is ready to fully utilise AI technology. This may mean adapting some existing processes and procedures.
- Ask for help: No one said you had to do this alone! There’s no shame in seeking support from AI and technology experts. They can help you identify the right solutions and implement them with ease.
- Cleanse your data: You know what they say… ‘garbage in, garbage out’. AI technologies are powered by your data, so the higher the quality of the data you feed in, the better insights you’ll get out.
- Don’t rush: While it might be tempting to dive head-first into AI, try to take it slow at first. Start off with a small project, monitor performance, and track usage before moving on to other projects.
- Scale as needed: Remember that you’ll need to collect – and store – large amounts of data to feed your AI technologies. Make sure you’re able to scale up your data storage solutions easily, as needed.
- Involve your workforce: Perhaps unsurprisingly, AI technologies work best when people actually use them! Coach, train, and prepare your users for change so that they’re ready to get to work.
- Choose the right software: Every AI tool has its own advantages and limitations. Check out our software comparisons to ensure you’re selecting the best AI technologies for your business.
