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Focus Article- Siouxsie Jennett and ChatGPT 4
Is Your Company Prepared for AI?A 5-Step Guide to AI Readiness and an Era of Big Change
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly becomes an integral part of the business world, understanding and preparing for its impact is essential for any forward-thinking company. The shift towards AI-driven operations is not a distant-future scenario but a reality that is unfolding today, reshaping industries, and redefining how businesses operate. Recognizing the importance of AI and taking proactive steps to integrate it into your business practices will be crucial for staying competitive and innovative in this evolving landscape.
As automation tools powered by AI streamline marketing operations, from content creation to competitive positioning, marketers are freed up to focus on more creative and strategic tasks. This new era demands not just technological adaptation but a revolution of priorities and approach, positioning marketers at the forefront of change.
However, with great power comes great responsibility. “There’s not a single department in the company that’s not already influenced by AI; it’s going to be a game changer,”said Becky Lewis, COO of Accountinuity and Veracity Pros. “We are being very thoughtful in developing important policies that will help us navigate this exciting and uncharted opportunity.”
Pros and Cons to Consider with AI
Integrating AI into business operations, including marketing, brings a mix of challenges and opportunities. The advent of AI prompts concerns over human resource disruptions, data privacy, copyright issues, potential biases, and inaccuracies.Yet, it also offers significant advantages, including operational efficiencies, time savings for strategic planning, access to vast resources, and a competitive edge in marketing. Navigating this landscape requires a thoughtful approach to balancing the transformative promise of AI with its complex implications, aiming to leverage its benefits while addressing its risks responsibly.
5-Step Guide to AI Readiness
This guide outlines the initial, vital steps to ensure your company is not just prepared for the integration of AI but is positioned to thrive from its benefits and protect against the potential risks. By focusing on governance, policy development, staff training, and continuous adaptation, businesses can navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, ensuring a smooth transition into a future where technology enhances efficiency, creativity, and strategic decision-making.
Step 1: Form an AI Governance Committee
The first step towards AI readiness is establishing an AI Governance Committee, including priority representatives from IT, Marketing, Human Resources, and Legal departments. Depending on the experience of your in-house team, it may be of benefit to hire an outside expert to consult to the committee, especially when you are first starting out. This committee is tasked with overseeing the ethical, legal, and practical aspects of AI integration within the company as outlined in the following steps. Its role is crucial in ensuring that AI tools are used responsibly and in alignment with the company's values and legal obligations.
First steps to forming an AI Governance Committee:
• Identify key members
• Hold your first meeting to establish goals and milestones for committee
• Schedule follow up meetings for the year (at least monthly)
Step 2: Develop Initial AI Guidelines and Policies
Developing initial AI guidelines and policies is essential. These guidelines should be made accessible to all staff, requiring them to read and accept them. The AI Governance Committee plays a vital role here, regularly reviewing and updating these policies, including approving platforms for use, and ensuring transparency, especially in how AIgenerated content or decisions are sourced and presented.
“Privacy concerns often stem from how companies collect, store, and use consumer data for marketing purposes,”notes SOCi CMO Monica Ho. “With AI's ability to analyze large datasets, there's an increased risk of sensitive information being mishandled or used in ways that violate consumer privacy.
Establishing clear internal guidelines and policies around AI usage in marketing can help ensure ethical practices and compliance with laws.”
Items to consider when drafting policies and guidelines:
• Data privacy
• Human review of AI outputs
• Communicating AI use with clients
• Approved tool usage and use cases
• Staff readiness and training
Step 3: Monitor and Update Staff Utilization
Continuous monitoring of staff utilization of AI tools is necessary to understand their impact on work processes and efficiency and gives the AI Governance Committee full visibility into the evolving technology stack. Conduct monthly surveys on AI usage, including the platforms used and frequency, and monitor how AI is transforming operations. The first handful of surveys can be a simple set of questions while later you may be able to adopt monitoring software that automatically tracks and reports usage. The survey results will ensure that the AI Governance Committee is fully aware of all AI technologies in use at your firm and identify areas for further improvement or training.
Next steps in monitoring:
• Craft first survey
• Announce survey and intentions to staff
• Execute first survey
• Review results and make improvement
Helpful Tip
Be transparent with your team that this is an emerging technology and not predictable; there are going to be some bumps in the road
Step 4: Invest in Staff Training – Especially Marketing
Investing in staff training and continuous learning is critical to staying ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Marketers, in particular, should be encouraged to engage in professional development opportunities such as industry conferences, webinars, online courses, certification programs, and staying updated through thought leaders and publications. This continuous learning culture not only helps in adapting to new technologies but also ensures that the marketing team remains innovative and competitive.
Marketing leadership considerations:
• Research and approve best training options for staff
• Request additional budget for training and staff development
• Review marketing AI tools currently in use
• Set expectations for staff on approved tools and use cases
Step 5: Embrace the New Era
This journey requires a commitment to continuous improvement and change management, while placing human values at the core of marketing strategies. As we embrace this change, it’s important to remain nimble and open to possibilities while remaining aligned with your company’s focus and mission. This flexible approach will not only foster innovation but also ensure that your company remains competitive and relevant in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Things to keep in mind:
• Practice continuous improvement methods of review
• Stay up to date on new tools and uses for AI
• Be flexible and anticipate change
• Be transparent with your team
This journey towards AI readiness, starting with these important strategic steps, will help your company leverage AI's transformative power effectively. Through a structured approach encompassing governance, managed innovation, and team development, your company is poised to leverage the power of AI while ensuring data privacy and accuracy. This new era will require openness to change, adaptability, and innovation, and promises to be nothing short of transformative for all businesses. Buckle up!
Siouxsie Jennett , CEO, Mambo Media. Contact at siouxsie@mambomedia.com.
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