Still wondering whether now is the time to take advantage of all that AI has to offer? The answer is yes! And here is why.
Believe the hype
If you have people you care about (clients, friends, family) who are stuck with the idea that “AI is just hype” or “Tech theater,” today is a good day to help them get unstuck. Before they fall behind.
The first half of this year has seen a huge rise in AI adoption around the world. According to at least one survey, corporate adoption will reach 72% in 2024 which is a significant increase from the previous year. AI usage has doubled, with 65% of companies—our clients among them–now integrating it into their operations. Key sectors like energy, technology, and media are leading the way.
Custom AI solutions are becoming more common as they address specific business needs. Interestingly, while concerns about AI inaccuracies (“hallucinations”) persist, these concerns are not stopping organizations from leaning in and using it. Nor should they, if you have well defined and communicated “Golden Rules” in place to create guard rails, outline protocols, and set expectations.
Fear is giving way to excitement and curiosity. Moreover, firms embedding AI report legitimate revenue boosts, especially in supply chain management. Is this my confirmation bias kicking in? This closely tracks what we’re hearing from our own BTS clients, directly.
Use AI to get stuff done
A lot of people are busy and feeling burned out. And if they (you?) are not using Generative AI, then they (you?) are missing an opportunity to improve things. It’s just a fact. The teams and leaders that we see leaning in and experimenting together are seeing real benefits from their collaborations. By way of example, see a recent feed from our own “AI for Admins” Slack Feed.
The tools are out there and easy to find
There are many tools available to use AI to do serious work with AI. Many companies – like ours – have set up a portfolio of resources – some proprietary, some not—for their internal teams to use, and also to share with clients. That is a great place to start. You will find there are an abundance of articles out there now with functional or industry-specific ways to tap into the available technologies like ChatGT, to provide you with even more insights to get started. It’s easy to ramp up quickly to do serious work – get advice, discover insights, generate ideas, write, produce reports, fill out forms, discuss strategy, craft proposals, etc.….and the resources are available to you 24×7. The bottom line is that whatever you do at work, you can ask AI. Follow the Golden Rules, and you will do this safely.
The resources keep getting better
If you are among those people tinkering, then you will have noticed AI can do a lot more today than the last time you looked. Like what? IT can connect to the internet, make images. do data analysis, watch video, read files, and work with documents. You can also create your own bespoke GPTs. The point is you can do it all on your own. You don’t need contractors. You don’t need digital experts. You can do it yourself, or with your team, today. Of note…so can your competitors. They already are and getting great benefits. So consider that when you are next faced with the option to try it – or not—to help you get more work done, better, and more quickly.
Your AI is already obsolete
It’s worth noting that by the time you read this, the list of capabilities above might already be outdated. For sure the version of AI you are using today is the weakest version you will ever use in your lifetime. As good as AI is today, today is as bad as it will ever get. You are working today with the “Shoe Phone” of AI. And that’s being generous.
The next round of AI models will be way more capable. And those with the mindset and skillset to use them will benefit exponentially more from those new capabilities. Those who don’t, won’t.
So believe the hype. Help others get unstuck. And use your tools to learn, practice and master working with AI. For those who do, things will only get better, and more exciting, from here.
Want more inspiration about using AI in your business? Check out this post.
