AI is a powerful tool, implemented in many instances to improve business procedures and operations. However, as with most new technologies and changes to the way in which we work, there is a flip side. One which leads to businesses lending a particularly sceptical and pessimistic view upon the way in which it operates. Many businesses see AI and all that it encompasses as an enveloping tool that takes away employee autonomy and replaces human intuition with a robotic, two-dimensional approach. We beg to differ.
Oak Engage is powered by AI. Our platform gives people easy-to-use technology that's made to improve communication and get more done. We believe that tech can help businesses work in new and better ways, saving money and making things easier for everyone.
In this blog we’ll be discussing the introduction of AI, how it’s shaping the workplace and debunking some common misconceptions that are often associated with it. We'll be discussing:
- Benefits AI presents modern businesses
- How successful businesses use AI
- The future of AI in the workplace
- How Oak Engage AI can transform comms
The benefits of AI in the workplace
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has enacted substantial change within our workplaces. It has simplified and expedited many tasks, resulting in improved work efficiency and output. By assisting with numerous tasks, AI contributes to smoother and more efficient operations in the workplace.
Tools powered by AI, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, perform tasks like meeting scheduling or email sorting, freeing up valuable time for employees to focus on more crucial and creative aspects of their work. This not only improves productivity but also contributes to employee satisfaction. In addition, AI significantly bolsters decision-making within the workplace. It has the capacity to quickly and accurately analyse vast quantities of data, yielding valuable insights. These insights can guide businesses in making informed decisions, such as identifying sales trends to effectively manage stock levels.
AI plays a significant role in managing human resources. It can identify trends in employee performance and job satisfaction, aiding in the creation of effective hiring processes, encouraging employee retention, and designing useful training programs. Many modern intranets utilise features like these to enhance the employee experience.
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Modern intranet features employees will love
AI in the workplace examples
AI has made an enormous impact. Numerous top-tier companies are adopting AI technology in their workplaces to simplify their processes and eliminate the uncertainty that often comes with inefficient procedures. The fact that these leading corporations are tapping into the potential of AI is a testament to its immense value. Here are just a few AI examples used in the modern day workplace.
Salesforce
AI in the workplace has become an invaluable tool for addressing workplace challenges, as demonstrated by Salesforce's use of their AI tool, Einstein. The software offers a multifaceted approach to enhancing productivity and efficiency in the workplace.
Salesforce's Einstein specialises in predicting sales opportunities. By analysing past sales data and customer interactions, it can forecast potential leads and deals. This predictive capability empowers sales teams, helping them identify and prioritise high-value opportunities, and strategize accordingly to close deals effectively. Automating data entry is another powerful feature of Einstein, addressing a significant workplace challenge. Manual data entry is often time-consuming and prone to errors. Einstein automates this process, reducing human error and freeing up employees' time for more strategic tasks. This allows companies to optimise their workflows and improve overall efficiency.
Einstein's ability to provide actionable insights to sales representatives is another crucial aspect of its functionality. It analyses a wide range of data, from customer demographics to buying patterns, to generate insights that can inform sales strategies and decision-making. These insights can guide representatives in tailoring their approaches to specific clients or markets, thereby enhancing the likelihood of successful deal closures.
Enhancing internal communication strategies is a frequent hurdle in workplaces, particularly in roles that interact with customers. Einstein helps overcome this challenge by analysing the sentiment in emails and providing insights into the tone and mood of the message. This enables representatives to customise their responses accordingly, resulting in improved customer relations. Additionally, Einstein can recommend the optimal timing for sending emails based on previous interaction data, increasing the chances of receiving timely and positive responses.
Starbucks
Starbucks has effectively integrated AI into their business model with its 'Deep Brew' program. This cutting-edge technology serves a myriad of functions, facilitating efficient operation and delivering personalised customer service.
One of the primary applications of 'Deep Brew' is in inventory management. AI analyses past sales data and patterns to accurately predict inventory requirements. This helps Starbucks reduce waste and ensure product availability, ultimately leading to improved operational efficiency and cost savings.
Beyond inventory, 'Deep Brew' is also proficient in predicting customer orders. By analysing purchase history and customer behaviour, AI can anticipate what a customer is likely to order even before they make their selection. This predictive capability allows Starbucks to improve customer service, accelerate order fulfilment, and streamline store operations.
In the realm of customer experience, 'Deep Brew' excels at personalisation. The AI system is designed to suggest food and drink items to customers based on their previous orders and preferences. By understanding the unique tastes and preferences of each customer, Starbucks can tailor recommendations, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
In essence, Starbucks's use of AI through 'Deep Brew' reflects a powerful blend of operational efficiency and personalised customer experience. The technology not only optimises internal processes but also enriches the customer's journey, demonstrating the transformative potential of AI in the workplace.
The future of AI in the workplace
The future of AI in the workplace is filled with exciting possibilities and incredible potential. AI is continuously advancing and has the power to reshape industries, redefine job roles, and revolutionise work as we know it.
Automation will be a key aspect of this AI future. AI technologies will free up human employees from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more creative and strategic endeavours. This will boost efficiency, productivity, and save costs for businesses. Employees will have the freedom to engage in complex problem-solving, drive innovation, and create exceptional customer experiences. According to Tech Jury, over 42% of businesses are exploring the use of AI within their organisation.
AI will also play a central role in decision-making processes. With access to vast amounts of data, AI algorithms will provide valuable insights and act as trusted advisors to executives and employees. This combination of AI-powered analytics and human expertise will lead to swift and well-informed decisions, giving organisations a competitive advantage.
Customer experiences will be transformed as well. AI-driven chatbots, virtual assistants, and personalised recommendation systems will ensure seamless interactions and exceptional satisfaction for customers. By tailoring experiences, addressing real-time needs, and offering proactive support, businesses will build strong and lasting connections with their customers. AI's abilities to understand natural language, analyse sentiment, and make predictions will take service delivery to new heights, fostering long-term customer loyalty.
The future will also bring about unprecedented collaboration between humans and intelligent machines. AI will be an invaluable partner, enhancing human capabilities and assisting with complex tasks. This symbiotic relationship will lead to significant advancements in problem-solving, creativity, and innovation. While humans bring their understanding, empathy, and ethical judgement, AI will provide data-driven insights and unparalleled computational power.
However, ethical considerations will be crucial in this future. Organisations must establish transparent, fair, and accountable AI systems. Guiding principles and regulations should address potential biases, privacy concerns, and responsible utilisation of AI technologies. AI reasoning must include fundamental human traits including empathy and understanding - a trait that is yet incapable of replication.
In conclusion, the future of AI in the workplace holds immense potential. It will automate mundane tasks, empower decision-making, revolutionise customer experiences, and foster collaboration between humans and machines. Embracing AI is not just a choice but a necessity for businesses aiming to thrive in the ever-changing digital landscape. By responsibly harnessing the power of AI, organisations can script their success stories in the future of work and strive towards a more engaging and productive future. With change comes resistance, however, make sure you and your business are equipped to deal with it.
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Challenges and misconceptions of AI in the workplace
Understanding AI can be tricky. With many misinterpretations surrounding a complex subject matter it can be hard not to listen to the noise. Many people are convinced that AI will take away human jobs, that it's too expensive for small businesses, or that it will replace human decision-making. While very common concerns, they’re often misplaced and misunderstood in the context of how it really affects organisations as a whole.
Here are just a few of the most common misconceptions surrounding AI…
AI is just for tech companies:
AI has amazing possibilities in almost every industry you can think of. In healthcare, it can analyse a ton of data to help doctors make better diagnoses and treatment plans. In finance, it assists with assessing risks, detecting fraud, and creating personalised investment strategies. Agriculture benefits from AI by optimising resource usage and predicting crop yields. In education, AI can personalise learning experiences and assist teachers in managing classroom tasks. AI goes beyond tech companies by automating tasks, improving employee experiences, and enabling data-driven decisions.
AI will steal our jobs:
It's true that AI can automate certain tasks, but it doesn't mean that all jobs will disappear. Many jobs require unique human skills like understanding emotions, being creative, solving complex problems, and leading teams. These are things that AI isn't so good at. Plus, the growth of AI is expected to create new jobs that we can't even imagine yet, just like how the internet changed the job market. So, while some jobs might change, it's more of a transformation than a complete loss of employment.
AI is too expensive for small businesses:
Integrating AI may seem like a big deal, but it's not impossible for small businesses. There are plenty of AI tools available that are affordable and easy to use. They can help with customer service, marketing, project management, and more. And the best part is that many of these tools can grow with your business. You can start small and gradually increase your use of AI as your company expands. So, while there might be some initial investment, it can bring you significant returns, even if you're a small business.
AI will replace human decision making:
AI is like a helpful tool in the workplace. It can give us valuable insights and suggestions based on data. It can predict things, recognise patterns, and even make recommendations. But it doesn't mean that it takes over our decision-making entirely. Many decisions at work involve things that AI can't understand yet, like ethical considerations, delicate negotiations, strategic thinking, and understanding complex human emotions. That's why humans are still needed to set goals for AI and interpret its output in a broader context. We work together to make the best decisions.
Oak in the workplace
Oak Engage is powered by AI:
leveraging powerful technologies to enhance and improve the user experience. AI in the workplace is an inevitable part of the future, a future that we’re very excited about and proud to be a part of.
Artificial content assistant
Introducing Aria, our cutting edge content creation assistant. Designed to help internal communicators during their creative process, Aria creates content based off of user based prompts and direction, helping internal comms experts be more productive and deliver personalised communications to employees. If that wasn't already enough, our intuitive Smart Delivery engine helps get content in front of the right people, on the right device at the right time. We do the heavy lifting so you can focus on what's important: the message.
Personalised news experience:
Oak's AI-powered targeted news ensures that each employee receives a personalised news feed tailored to their preferences and needs. This personalised experience enhances engagement by delivering content that is relevant and meaningful to individuals.
Reduced noise and information overload:
With AI determining the most relevant content, Oak reduces information overload by filtering out irrelevant or less important information. Employees can focus on the content that matters most to them, improving their productivity and overall satisfaction.
Opt-in and opt-out flexibility:
Oak's platform allows employees to have control over their content experience. They can choose to opt in or out of specific content categories, enabling them to actively participate in shaping their news feed and ensuring they receive content aligned with their interests.
Enhanced employee participation:
By empowering employees to engage in the content curation process, Oak fosters a sense of ownership and involvement. Employees feel more connected to the conversations happening within the organisation, increasing their engagement and collaboration.
Meaningful insights through analytics:
Oak's robust analytics and reporting features provide organisations with valuable insights into the reach, success, and impact of their communication campaigns. This data-driven approach helps organisations make informed decisions and refine their communication strategies for better engagement outcomes.
Customised reporting with AI-powered "ask" function:
Oak's AI-powered "Ask" function will allow users to generate customised reports based on their specific requirements. By typing natural language queries, users will be able to extract the desired information, enabling efficient data analysis and the creation of reports tailored to organisational needs.
Measurable value and return on investment:
With Oak's analytics and reporting capabilities, organisations can measure the effectiveness of their communication efforts and demonstrate the value and impact of their initiatives. This ability to track performance helps organisations optimise their strategies and justify their communication investments.
By leveraging AI, Oak's Curated Content revolutionises employee engagement by delivering personalised, relevant content, reducing noise, and empowering employees to participate actively in the content curation process. The platform's analytics and reporting capabilities enable organisations to measure and optimise their communication strategies, driving meaningful engagement and demonstrating the value of effective internal communication.
AI is a crucial asset in the workplace, revolutionising industries, boosting efficiency, and driving innovation. It automates tasks, empowers data-driven decision-making, enhances customer experiences, and augments human capabilities. To thrive in the future, businesses must embrace AI's transformative potential. If you would like to find out more about how AI can help you and your business reach its potential, talk to an expert today.