Makeda WatermanToday, businesses of all types need to know how to implement artificial intelligence (AI), as the technology has changed the way organizations do business across the world, and will continue changing it into the foreseeable future.
Mark Zuckerberg is not the only leader in technology that understand its value; companies across all sectors are implementing it to suit their own unique needs. AI has already had a positive impact on industries like healthcare, retail, entertainment, and real estate, but its applications are almost limitless, so we can expect to see many more verticals benefiting from the tech in the next few years.
While the debate rages on about whether it will reduce human employment, the 2017 Economist Intelligence Unit report, Artificial Intelligence in the Real World, gave some encouraging statistics: 27% of executives in the survey say that introducing AI to business will improve decision making; 26% believe it will improve customer service; 29% say it will improve operating efficiency; and 17% said it would increase sales revenue.
Data clearly shows that AI is expected to be a benefit to organizations around the world, so, if you haven’t done so already, now is the time to start reviewing the ways it can positively impact your company. Here are four ways to successfully implement artificial intelligence into your business.
Implement Real Intelligence First
The best way to start a discussion about artificial intelligence in your organization is to focus on real intelligence, which is the act of understanding the weaknesses and procedures of a new process, providing the chance for the organization to review it.
It is important that all employees, from the management teams to the executives, know the value of business intelligence and data comprehension, as it will help them actively promote and utilize AI once it is officially part of their daily responsibilities.
Start an AI Roadmap for your Start-up or Business
For all you entrepreneurs out there, the next time you approach a venture capital in the early stage of a start-up, it is essential to include artificial intelligence in your business model, because if you can educate bankers and venture capitals on what AI means for growth, revenue, and costs it will help them realize what it can do for them in return.
A roadmap should be seen as a visual representation of the stages that AI needs to go through to benefit the company. Outlining and communicating this from the beginning will help you gain funding for your project, as it shows a real forward-thinking approach to business. Furthermore, you can implement artificial intelligence techniques into your current technology that includes WIT.ai from Facebook or Microsoft’s LUIS.ai.
Build AI Software from Open Source
International companies like FreshBooks, Facebook, Yahoo, Amazon, and Microsoft all use cognitive software with deep learning algorithms, but they also have the resources to use it to full effect.
The costs of implementing and utilizing cognitive computing software may be low, but the cost of hiring a data scientist to build it into your products can definitely be an expense, so be sure to account for that.
For most companies, introducing this technology will require the cognitive solution to be developed from scratch, which requires a lot of patience. It’s certainly recommended that you include cognitive features in your services and products, so the act of developing open source software is sensible if you currently have specialized needs for your cognitive capabilities.
Get an AI Expert to Help with a Pilot Project
The perfect time to integrate artificial intelligence is when your company is prepared for a technology restructure. Even so, it’s vital to start small so you can discuss goals for projects and be honest about what your team doesn’t yet understand about how to implement artificial intelligence.
Once the knowledge gaps have been discovered, you should begin inviting AI experts or consultants to facilitate informational sessions that will educate employees to the standard required. Set out a timeframe of a few months to help you to accomplish goals in this training, inviting four or five employees that work internally or externally on the team.
Once the pilot project is complete, it’s time to discuss how long it will take to complete the “big” AI project and whether or not it will work for your business.
These four starting points should act as a guideline for dipping your toes in the massive ocean that is artificial intelligence, ensuring you are prepared to implement the tech in a way that benefits your entire company.
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