{"id":2257,"date":"2018-10-31T01:00:50","date_gmt":"2018-10-31T01:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/?p=2257"},"modified":"2019-02-01T17:42:14","modified_gmt":"2019-02-01T17:42:14","slug":"how-to-get-started-with-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/cross-industry\/2018\/10\/31\/how-to-get-started-with-ai\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get started with AI"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"52%AI is quickly becoming an important part of our lives, but it\u2019s not new. Most of us are using AI every day, often without realising. It helps us sort our emails, automatically removing spam from our inbox. It gives us personalised recommendations when shopping, assists us when parking cars and can even translate languages in real time.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s increasingly helping us in our personal lives, but what does this mean for your business? AI can collect and analyse data faster than any human, but it\u2019s not designed to replace us. It’s designed to work with<\/em> us, amplifying our ingenuity. This enables us to focus our time and energy on more meaningful work that uses our distinctly human traits. Traits like emotional intelligence and creativity.<\/p>\n

In healthcare, computers are learning to read radiological images faster than medical practitioners<\/u>,<\/a> but this doesn\u2019t mean we don\u2019t need the experts. It simply means they can focus their time on creating tailored treatment plans for their patients instead. Something that’s often a timely and expensive process. It is also making banking easier<\/a> and more secure, helping identify fraud and, ultimately, delivering a better experience for customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe messaging behind AI is critical. We\u2019re not automating workers, we\u2019re automating work\u201d \u2013 Terry Walby, CEO, Thoughtonomy<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Organisations that are already on the AI journey are more productive and see 5% greater business outcomes than those who aren\u2019t, but it can be a little overwhelming to figure out how to get started. It\u2019s all about seizing your opportunities and keeping the human experience in mind.<\/p>\n

Here’s how you can embrace AI\u2019s potential:<\/p>\n

\"Identify<\/h2>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Start with a problem you\u2019re looking to solve<\/h2>\n

Don’t use AI just for the sake of it. Think about how you can address your current business challenges or disrupt your industry. Ask your employees, your leadership team, and your board for their thoughts to get a thorough representation of opinions.<\/p>\n

Microsoft\u2019s online survey<\/a> is designed to help you to think about how you can use AI in your business. Perhaps you\u2019d like to improve your customer experience? You could create a chatbot<\/a> to help your customers and employees research and find products so they have a consistent experience, both in-store and online. Or you could use AI to\u00a0predict trends for advertising<\/a> so you can create more targeted ads and generate more sales.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bring the whole organisation on the journey with you<\/h2>\n

Technological changes often aren\u2019t a \u2018one size fits all\u2019 approach. Listen to your employee\u2019s experiences and feedback, and show how AI can make their roles easier.<\/p>\n

Make this change a positive one. Train employees today for the skills they will need in the future<\/a>. Skilled employees more empowered and are proven to be 8.4 percent more productive. Companies that offer ongoing staff training also have higher retention.\u00a070 percent of employees say development opportunities influenced their decision to stay at a company.<\/a><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Take action<\/h2>\n

Run a hackathon<\/a> and get your employees hands-on with the technology. AI isn\u2019t something to implement and leave; it should grow, adapt, and improve. Developing, improving and critiquing AI, based on real experiences, will deliver much better outcomes for your business.<\/p>\n

AI will continue to disrupt business in new and interesting ways. It\u2019s not something you can ignore. Will you be the leader of the revolution or will you quietly disappear into the background?<\/p>\n