5 Ways to Achieve an AI Transformation That Benefits Your Business

Experts have said that we are emerging from the era of digital transformation and entering a new era of artificial intelligence transformation.

The good news is that the learnings from previous digital change programs, from the adoption of cloud computing to the adoption of machine learning, will provide a strong foundation for creating new AI transformations.

Also: 4 Ways to Turn Generative AI Experiments into Real Business Value

However, the transition to the era of artificial intelligence will require overcoming significant technological and cultural challenges.

Here are five ways business and digital leaders can address these challenges and ensure a successful AI transformation.

1. Don’t work in isolation

Helen Kollnig, head of global applications Freshworks at recruitment specialist Hays, advises professionals to seek advice from as many experts as possible.

“Look at what other people are doing,” she said. “Never work in silos and be prepared to make mistakes in terms of how you configure your technology.” Kollnig and her colleagues implemented Freshworks Customer Service Suite, an omnichannel support software with AI-powered chatbots and ticketing functionality.

Also: Testing software using artificial intelligence is gaining more supporters, but concerns remain

She told ZDNET that working closely with a technology partner helped her team lead a successful AI transformation. “So for one of our AI projects, we set up a basic setup and said, ‘Freshworks, come and do an audit. Tell us if we are doing this right? Would you have done it differently? – she said.

“They came and looked at our setup and said, ‘This area is great, but you need to consider these things.’ This kind of support helped us. So my advice to other professionals is to seek help.”

2. Build the trust of others

Nick Woods, CIO of MAG Airports Group, said leading an AI transformation is not easy and leaders must ensure their organization makes a successful cultural shift.

“This work requires a lot of hearts and minds,” he said. Woods explained to ZDNET how he works with startups and combines knowledge with sensor data to develop the future of air travel using artificial intelligence.

Also: 5 Ways AI Is Changing the Future of Air Travel

He is exploring how the group’s technology can help with seasonal airfield planning. This task is traditionally performed manually, so employees need to show how automation benefits staff, the organization and passengers. “People have been in this field for many years and have done things a certain way for a long time. We have to take the internal customer on a journey and prove the benefits,” he said.

“This journey aims to build their confidence and show them how this technology can help improve their work and achieve results. We are making good progress.”

3. Get the business to generate ideas.

Anastasia Stefanska, data scientist for analytics and artificial intelligence at travel giant TUI, recognizes that everyone has great ways to use new technologies.

“Everyone at TUI, not just everyone in the IT department, has the opportunity to work with AI at the level that their role expects,” she said. “We have been working on this approach for the past year. We want to bridge the gap between business professionals and our technology expertise within the data science team.”

TUI uses generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) for data analytics and chatbots in training programs. The company also uses Cortex AI, Snowflake’s large language model (LLM).

Also: The AI ​​generation may speed up coding, but businesses should still consider the risks.

Stefanska told ZDNET that TUI has launched cross-business initiatives in a gamified format to help identify new use cases. She said the best ideas from these sessions were selected for implementation and would bring significant time savings to the organization.

“Throughout the project, I was amazed to see how deeply the business users had thought through their ideas—they just had to be asked,” she said. “When we asked them and they readily answered, ideas started popping up like mushrooms in the rain. It was difficult to choose what to prioritize.”

4. Be smart

Dave Moyes, information and digital systems partner at architecture firm SimpsonHaugh, said every business and digital leader must prepare for the AI ​​transformation.

“It’s coming,” he told ZDNET. “You can’t bury your head in the sand and ignore AI.”

Moyes said professionals in all sectors need to take some smart steps, including working with people who know more about AI.

Also: Think AI can solve all your business problems? New Apple research shows otherwise

“Every organization has groups of technology leaders who are motivated and want to innovate, grow and advance,” he said. “Lean on them. Learn from those who work at the coal faces and want to get into artificial intelligence. There’s no guarantee that the technology you implement will be the best, but at least you’ll recognize the potential.”

Moyes said SimpsonHow is exploring how artificial intelligence can reduce time-consuming tasks such as summarizing text and help employees find images to create design proposals at an early stage.

The firm is also considering using artificial intelligence to create parametric designs, in which buildings are shaped using algorithmic processes. In all of these areas, the security of customer data will be key.

“For us, as an organization with sensitive data, the use of any tool should be framed as, ‘Actually, this project is covered by a non-disclosure agreement, so don’t put it anywhere near the public cloud,'” he said. .

“We will handle confidential information carefully. We’ll set boundaries rather than add a model and let her sniff around.”

5. Work within your limitations

Roger Joyce, vice president of enterprise cloud platform at Alaskan telecommunications company GCI, said his organization is committed to exploring AI under the right circumstances.

“This is everything from simple use cases like using chatbots to reduce our call center costs by helping people self-service, to more complex analysis of customer demographics, combining many different pieces of data and being able to answer questions about “Who is the best person to target with a marketing campaign?”

However, as Joyce told ZDNET, it’s important not to rush into AI transformation. Yes, the benefits can be enormous, but so can the risks if you don’t prepare for data-driven change.

Also: Google survey shows that more than 75% of developers rely on AI. But there’s a catch

Joys leverages VMware Cloud Foundation private cloud technology and a variety of other services to create a scalable and secure platform for business innovation. “Data scientists have moved some of the data that can be stored in the public cloud into Databricks on Azure, but we can’t load all of our customer information,” Joyce said.

“There are rules about the data we can store in the public cloud safely, securely and privately.”

Joyce said his organization faces many regulations, especially regarding call data and customer information. Any decisions on AI must be made with these issues in mind.

“These are things that will be determined,” he said. “Where is public AI okay? We will be working on this issue over the next 18 months.”