Trying to stay on top of AI's GenAI
We’re constantly being told that AI is moving at the speed of light and companies and government agencies better keep up. It’s easy to feel that there is not enough time to learn about the latest AI tools being released – it’s daunting.
There is a classic line being used a lot lately, “those who don’t embrace using AI will be replaced by AI.” The message about falling behind with AI was discussed by tech leaders at the recent PAN-IIT Seattle 2024 Conference event in Bellevue, Washington.
“By 2027, more than 50% of the GenAI models that enterprises use will be specific to either an industry or business function, up from approximately 1% in 2023.”
The University of Washington computer science professor and former CEO of the Allen Institute for AI, Oren Etzioni. said: “anybody who’s asleep, you’re going to miss it. So I encourage you to latch on to this.” Tech leaders are betting big on generative AI (AKA: ‘GenAI’) . Generative AI allows for the creation of new products and services that were not a reality just a few years ago.
But, the irony – despite all the AI hype, Etzioni then says: “generative AI systems aren’t reliable in their current state and “you would not want an AI system to do most things right now.”
What can companies and government agencies do? Plan now to integrate AI into your processes – to integrate AI into your company’s DNA. To start – find ways to use AI to help streamline some mundane tasks to free up your employees to focus on more engaging, critical projects by using Chat GPT’s and Open AI’s tools for example.
In any business or government organization, increasing productivity is usually a top goal. Going back to one of the first steps in using AI tools, is to find ways to automate routine tasks, reducing human error (I.E. data entry, comparative analysis) etc. and a quicker resolution to some problems that were normally performed manually. One of the best improvements is the ability to use AI tools to reason, predict, and understand data and more importantly, the goal of resolving issues using AI’s reasoning skills.
According to Gartner, when it comes to the growth of GenAI, “By 2027, more than 50% of the GenAI models that enterprises use will be specific to either an industry or business function, up from approximately 1% in 2023.” And from Microsoft: “Already, AI is being woven into the workplace at an unexpected scale. 75% of knowledge workers use AI at work today, and 46% of users started using it less than six months ago”
But, even though company leaders know AI us is critical – the pressure to show the return-on-investment, is making some leaders move slowly since they are not always able to quantify true productivity gains. So, what does this mean? Without guidance or approval for their senior leaders, many employees are running with AI on their own and keeping it ‘under wraps’ for now. Get this, 78% of AI users are bringing their own AI tools to their office – plus, it’s even more common at small and medium-sized companies.
How is AI affecting the recruitment of the future hire? As per Microsoft: “66% of leaders say they wouldn’t hire someone without AI skills. And 71% say they’d rather hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced candidate without them”
The most productive AI users are the ‘power users’ - they are 68% more likely to experiment using AI. These power users are more likely to pause before a task and ask themselves if AI can help (+49%), to keep trying if they don’t get the perfect response the first time (+30%), and to research and try new prompts (+56%). Power users also bookend their day with AI—using it to start the day (85%) and get ready for the following workday (85%).”
Finally, you may ask what can my organization due to keep up with AI? Here is a quote from Sheila Jordan, SVP, Chief Digital Technology Officer, Honeywell: “To stay ahead of the curve, we’ve made AI training a priority to ensure everyone can leverage the power of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and other AI solutions. We also launched the GenAI Academy, supporting employee growth and development with the aim of increasing ambassadors and GenAI power users across the globe. We are already seeing benefits that are transforming the way we work and innovate.”
In summary, as Sheila Jordan mentioned, if they have not already started, encourage your organization to create a plan on how to embrace AI and set up an educational framework. This will give employees the best AI tools to improve their work environment.
Sources (3):
Microsoft - AI at Work Is Here. Now Comes the Hard Part
Gartner Media: 3 Bold and Actionable Predictions for the Future of GenAI
