Artificial intelligence (AI) evokes many reactions, lots of them positive, but some that are less so. Businesses have lauded the opportunities it can bring but also spoken of concerns. One thing is for sure, though—AI use will only continue to grow, so you may feel pressure to get on board. To do so successfully, you must understand what AI is likely to mean for your business, how to maximise its benefits and minimise its risks, and what you need to get started.
Business benefits of AI
Much has been said about the benefits of AI in business. The transformative nature of AI technologies can streamline many activities. You could use it in a range of ways to automate otherwise time-consuming, manual tasks. AI could also help you gain more insights into—and therefore value from—your business data through analytics.
It can also be used to generate ideas that you can review and choose whether to explore or not to stay competitive in your market. It can help you communicate with your customers. Chances are you’ve experienced AI in customer service with chatbots an established feature in many organisations.
One important way you may find AI useful is to help you personalise your customers’ experiences. Certainly, you’re probably familiar with “recommendations for you” in online shopping apps and entertainment streaming services. Could AI help you tailor the experience similarly in your business?
Within your organisation, AI can also help enhance training and learning, to deliver courses with impact. It can assist trainers with real-time feedback and help course creators develop content, personalise learning, devise questions and adapt assessment.
AI concerns
That’s all very positive about current and potential uses of AI, but with the benefits come some concerns. AI can be polarising. Many discussions have been had, and are still being had, about how to maximise benefits whilst minimising risks.
The issue of bias in AI is an oft-raised risk of concern. How appropriate AI’s output is depends on the data sets it draws on. If these reflect inequalities, they can follow through and could lead to bias in AI-generated content or processes.
In addition, the data feeding AI can come with ethical, legal and privacy concerns around how it is collected and used. Personal data from staff, applicants and customers carries particular risks and responsibilities that you must heed when exploring the possibilities of AI.
In recognition of this, in late 2023, the UK hosted a first-of-its-kind AI Safety Summit at the birthplace of modern computing, the renowned Bletchley Park. As a result, 28 nations signed the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety which acknowledges AI’s opportunities and risks and the need to collaborate to explore them.
Your AI questions answered
You may feel that you have more questions than answers about AI and the impact it could have on your business. You are not alone. In response, D2L have developed a bank of AI resources to provide insight and information.
Enterprise learning and AI
AI can help your enterprise learning in a range of ways. You may, like many organisations, already use a learning platform to help you administrate, report on and deliver learning. AI can offer ways to optimise that coaching and learning experience.
It can, for example, enhance your strategy by allowing you to use your learning platform to generate member value, improve efficiencies through automation and gain valuable insights into members’ learning. AI can also help course creators tailor learning materials to meet all learners’ requirements including those with particular learning needs.
AI can also open up opportunities around data because it can analyse large data sets to provide trainers with insights into learner progress. The right data, shown in the right way, can help your course managers more readily identify learners who are exhibiting signs of struggle so they can take action to address the issues.
Find out more about AI
It is important to be clear about what you hope to achieve through AI, to adopt responsible AI practices and have a clear strategy for introducing it.
But it can be tough to get started with new technology and it helps to hear from the experiences of others. Take a look at these AI resources to help you and others in your organisation curious about AI.
If you would also like to discover how to elevate your learning and empower success using AI, check out D2L Lumi.
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