When used properly, generative AI can be an incredibly powerful tool. Its benefits stretch from empowering organisations to better engage employees and stand out in the war for talent, boosting productivity and providing a more efficient customer service, to keeping costs down during times of high inflation. Making the most out of it, however, requires the right approach.
Generative AI has skyrocketed in popularity over the past year. The development of ChatGPT and other one-click solutions means this type of technology is now more accessible than ever.
The potential of generative AI tools like these are now frequently lauded as revolutionary — a game changer for productivity and business benefit — and it’s easy to see why.
Organisations that rush headfirst into decisions without taking the time to implement these tools effectively run the risk of producing clunky, ineffectual processes — potentially making things worse than before.
This matters, because failing to unlock the full potential of generative AI means failing to give your organisation the leg up it needs in an uncertain economic environment. At a time where operational efficiency is potentially more important than ever, organisations in the UK and Ireland can’t afford to strive for anything less than perfection.
It may sound challenging, but success in this arena isn’t necessarily the far-off concept it seems to be. It does, however, require understanding on the part of business leaders driving generative AI forward.
And the first lesson: it’s vital to strike a healthy balance between humans and machines. Customers want their lives to be made easier by automation, not harder.
In fact, recent ServiceNow and Opinium research shows 37% of consumers in EMEA consider it important a business provides the option to speak to a human customer service agent when necessary. What’s more, organisations that fail to make it clear exactly how — and when — AI is being used are unlikely to build any long-lasting trust with their customers. Studies show over half of all consumers consider it important that companies make it clear if AI is being used in place of a human customer service agent.
What this means for organisations is simple: aim for balance. In a recent interview with ServiceNow, leading HR Executive, Stacey Marston, Head of People Systems and Operations at National Grid discussed the need for technology that supports an already successful process, rather than replacing it altogether.
“It’s about working out what jobs only humans can do, and making sure that humans are freed up to do those jobs, while digital solutions handle the things that don’t require that human touch. Put simply, technology should complement, supplement, and support the experience — not be detrimental to the experience,” explains Stacey.
Unlike many other technologies that have followed a short hype cycle, AI is here to stay. ServiceNow CEO, Bill McDermott, recently explained:
“We believe every dollar of global GDP will be impacted by AI over the next several years,” said McDermott. “It will become a ubiquitous force that powers every aspect of an enterprise from strategic operations, purchasing decisions, sales and supply chains, right down to impacting the individual worker’s day-to-day tasks through AI assistants.
Generative AI is a trending topic right now, but investing heavily into it without taking the time to streamline your existing processes is likely to be a mistake. Organisations must think long-term, and work to implement a solid, stable, technology foundation. If there are any gaps or pitfalls in existing processes, adding automation is likely to exacerbate, rather than resolve them.
Instead, organisations must assess where there is room for improvement, whether they have complete visibility over any potential issues, and how they can implement automation in a way that actually adds tangible value.
The two key pillars that drive generative AI success — a healthy balance, and the right existing foundations — have a proven success rate. Take Oxford University Hospital Trust, for example.
Wanting to make use of automation that supported healthcare professionals and patients alike, the team implemented an automated self-service portal for staff. This enabled hospital employees to handle simple queries themselves, freeing them up from time-consuming administrative tasks that could easily be completed by machine learning. This, in turn, allows the hospital to strike the right balance between man and machine by enabling staff to focus on tasks that require a human touch — in this case, patient care.
In a similar vein, by taking the time to work with the right partner to identify the most common pain points for staff in the organisation, Imperial College London was able to lay the right technology foundations that allowed the team to navigate a simple, streamlined automation strategy — and reap the benefits.
Needing to revamp its legacy services architecture and create a more consistent end-to-end experience, the college adopted a platform-based approach. This provided a clear starting point for automation, and allowed the team to ensure that any solution implemented on top of this platform was a genuine improvement on what came before. As a result, the organisation dramatically increased the efficiency of its user services — achieving 90% customer satisfaction ratings.
The key to a successful AI strategy ultimately lies with your ability to understand these key pillars. It’s about executing purposeful strategies that centre around what generative AI is, and what it can do for your business and your people — but perhaps more importantly, what it isn’t, and what it can’t do.
As a starting point, look to streamline processes and identify any issues with visibility ahead of implementing automated solutions. Once that stage is complete, it becomes possible to identify your starting point — in other words, what area of the business should be prioritised. It’s not about AI for AI’s sake, it’s about the value it creates.
In doing so, organisations can begin to drive a culture of understanding, ensuring consistent education and training for staff members at all levels of the business that sets your strategy up for success both now and in the long run.