What Can Consumer AI Teach Corporations?

An ever-changing business landscape that continues to embrace technological advancements means that change is constant. Instead of fearing technological advancements or fostering aversions to new or unfamiliar technologies, it’s important to welcome change. By providing employees with access to AI tools and subsequent learning opportunities, you can reduce aversions by helping them develop new skills and capabilities that will serve them in their careers for years to come. This can help foster a more dynamic and adaptive workforce that is better equipped to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business environment that continues to favor new technologies. 

What is consumer AI? 

Consumer AI or artificial intelligence for consumers references to the use of AI technologies to improve consumer experiences. Often involving the use of machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, computer vision, and other AI technologies, consumer AI is used to analyze vast content sets online, consumer behavior data, preferences, and needs that can then be followed up with actionable insights. Used in a variety of industries including but not limited to healthcare, retail, finance, and transportation, AI applications aim to enhance customer experiences by boosting productivity and streamlining efficiency. Open AI has also made AI more familiar to many after launching ChatGPT that introduced concepts like generative AI and conversational AI to everyone.

One of the most common or well known applications of consumer AI is in the development of personal assistance such as Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, or Amazon’s Alexa. These personal assistants work by combining natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to understand user requests and provide personalized responses and recommendations. Consumer AI can also be used in the development of Chatbots which are automated programs that can interact with consumers through messaging platforms. Similar to personal assistants, these Chatbots work by combining natural language processing and machine learning to understand and respond to consumer requests. ChatGPT is also rapidly replacing many traditional tools for meal preparation, travel planning and even writing essays for university and passing the legal standardized test LSAT for entry to law schools. Microsoft has also integrated ChatGPT into their Office product family making AI even more accessible to consumers.

Additional applications of consumer AI include product recommendations, targeted advertising, fraud detection, and personalized shopping experiences. Take personalized product recommendations for example. AI-powered recommendation engines use data on a consumer’s previous purchases, browsing history, and other behaviors to suggest products that they are most likely to be interested in. Not only can AI-powered product recommendations help retailers boost sales, but it can also improve customer satisfaction by making it easier for customers to source and buy products they are interested in. 

Why is it important to democratize AI in the workplace?

It’s important to democratize AI in the workplace for a number of reasons including fostering inclusivity, boosting productivity and efficiency, and creating a culture of continuous development and learning. It’s important to note that democratizing AI in the workplace means making it accessible to everyone, regardless of their expertise or lack thereof. This helps to promote inclusion and encourages everyone regardless of their technical background to embrace AI with open arms as opposed to being resistant to change. 

Democratizing AI in the workplace can also positively impact productivity and efficiency. Repetitive or mundane tasks can easily be replaced with AI-powered technologies, helping to free up employee’s time to work on more strategic, high-value tasks. This can lead to more impactful decision-making, less burnout, more impactful deep work, increased productivity, and greater overall happiness.

How can I make AI more accessible to my employees? 

Making AI more accessible to employees requires a compressive approach that starts with creating a data-driven culture and ends with training and learning opportunities. Here are some strategies to consider when making AI more accessible in the workplace: 

1. Foster a data-driven culture

The first and arguably the most important step that must be taken in order to make AI more accessible in the workplace is fostering a data-driven culture. An organization that fosters a data-driven culture is one that emphasizes the importance of data quality, accuracy, and completeness. In a data-driven culture, employees and management alike are encouraged to use data to inform their decisions and actions. 

2. Educate employees on AI 

The use of AI in the workplace is relatively new which may mean employees aren’t familiar with AI and its potential applications. In order to avoid aversions while fostering an AI-first culture, it is important to provide your employees with training and learning opportunities. These learning and training opportunities should cover the benefits and limitations of AI in addition to covering how AI can be used to enhance productivity and decision-making.

3. Incorporate AI into existing workflows 

Incorporating AI into existing workflows and processes is an excellent way to make AI more accessible to your employees. This can simply be achieved by identifying existing workflows or processes that can be improved by leveraging AI. From there, you can work with your team to integrate AI tools into existing software applications, creating customized workflows that leverage AI, and providing support and resources as employees go through the process of integrating AI into their daily workflows.  Various new tools can significantly cut down time it takes to develop a digital marketing plan for paid keywords on search engines and LinkedIn for instance.

4. Develop user-friendly tools 

If you notice your employees aren’t embracing AI to boost productivity, it may be because they aren’t familiar with user-friendly tools or resources that are built for beginners. Choosing to implement AI tools that are simple and intuitive will enable employees to learn how to use the tools to their advantage while simultaneously learning how to incorporate them into their workflows to boost productivity and efficiency. It’s important to note that choosing to start out with tools that don’t require an extensive technical knowledge will help with adoption. 

5. Provide hands on training 

Providing hands on training opportunities can be an effective way to help employees learn how to use AI tools. Hands-on training and learning opportunities may include anything from workshops to simulations. What’s most important is implementing interactive training opportunities that provide employees with practical experience using AI in real-world scenarios. 

6. Encourage experimentation 

Nothing happens overnight which is why it’s important to make your employees feel comfortable with experimentation. Learning to embrace and implement AI in the workplace will take time which is why experimentation is necessary. Encouraging employees to experiment with AI tools can help them discover new ways to use the technology to improve their work. You can encourage experimentation by providing employees with access to AI tools and resources, as well as create a culture that values innovation and experimentation. 

Are you making AI accessible within your workplace? 

The world around us is evolving at a rapid rate. To remain relevant and competitive in a changing landscape, it’s now more important than ever to curb aversions to emerging technologies. Making AI more accessible in the workplace is crucial to early adoption. Failing to adopt means falling behind.

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