Yasir Drabu is the founder and CEO of Taazaa, Inc.
AI is top of mind for many business and tech leaders right now, but the narratives I hear often fall into one of two categories: Either AI is going to make everybody’s life better, or it’s going to take everybody’s job. I think the reality is somewhere in between these extremes. AI isn’t the solution to all our problems, but it’s also not the source of doom and gloom.
I think the question we need to be asking is: How can we use this technology to better enable human creativity and productivity? AI has enormous potential to amplify our own knowledge and capabilities, and we can start by applying it to existing tools and workflows within our organizations.
Three Benefits Of Applying AI To Existing Software
1. Optimizing Interactions With Technology
AI tools, such as Siri and Google Assistant, have been around for years, but they understand only basic commands and queries. With the advent of generative AI tools, we are able to have deeper and more meaningful conversations, helping to facilitate smoother interactions with technology.
For example, if your business has software to schedule your staff’s hours, you may still be using a fairly clunky, manual process. Menu-driven systems require multiple steps, including selecting an employee, a date, a time and so on for each person. But with an AI-powered system, you could simply use a voice command or a text message to schedule employees—“Set Yasir’s schedule for next week; he’s in Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.” Something that took 10 clicks before could be accomplished in seconds. User-trained AI can understand natural language, reducing friction and simplifying complex operations.
2. Democratizing Creativity And Communication
Generative AI can empower people to be more creative and communicate their ideas with greater precision and depth. Like many business leaders today, I work with a very international team. We communicate with Zoom, email and chat, but not everyone’s first language is English. If a non-native English speaker has a complex idea, especially when we are collaborating on an advanced software component or business system, it can be challenging for them to communicate in a way that everyone understands clearly. Generative AI democratizes and amplifies this expression of ideas.
You can apply AI tools in a wide variety of situations, from drafting emails and building presentations to creating original art and writing code. AI is lowering the barriers to entry, making it easier for all people to be more creative and productive.
3. Opening Up Time
AI isn’t about replacing humans; it’s about augmenting their capabilities. Many jobs involve mundane, repetitive tasks that aren’t interesting or fulfilling. AI tools can step in to handle this tedious work, freeing up our time to focus on what we do best: creative problem solving, innovation and critical thinking. I’m optimistic that, as AI takes over many of these banal tasks, humans will have opportunities to pursue work that is more challenging, meaningful and satisfying.
Strategies For Implementing AI In Existing Tools
Applying AI to software you’re already using in your business doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are three tips for taking the first steps.
Start Simple
Explore AI tools and platforms already in the market that align with your business needs.
Many companies are putting wrappers around generative AI and other AI technology. Get familiar with the differences between various AI domains, including machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing, to identify potential solutions for your specific problems.
Understand The AI Landscape
AI is not a monolith. It is a diverse field, encompassing multiple subdomains and practice areas. While you don’t need in-depth knowledge of all the technical details, having high-level understanding of AI solutions will help you make informed decisions.
Integrate AI Into Existing Systems
Strive to seamlessly integrate AI into your existing business processes, workflows and ERP systems. Collaborating with technology partners with expertise in AI software integration can help you bridge any gaps and make AI an integral part of your operations.
AI is continuing to evolve and create new opportunities for optimization and innovation. Start by taking simple steps and staying open to what comes next, and set your business and your employees up for success.
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