Prioritize Human Comprehension: Ensure Your Employees Grasp Artificial Intelligence Concepts First
Embracing an AI-forward approach isn't born out of thin air. It's about fostering an AI-first mindset that equips everyone to adjust to the changes the tech brings. To prepare for the AI revolution, training and education are vital—and quite often the sticking point in AI-first endeavors.
A student survey published in EdTech revealed that 65% of students hadn't taken AI-specific or AI-inclusive courses at university. Only 3% felt truly confident that their education would secure them an AI-related job. Similarly, while the number of workers using AI increased from 8% in 2023 to over a third in the spring of this year, just 31% reported receiving employer-provided AI training, according to a survey by Jobs for the Future. Most AI use appears to be self-driven.
Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, authors of the book "AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand" stress that an AI-first strategy cannot progress without education and training. Brotman, Starbucks' former chief digital officer, and Sack, former adviser to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, assert that an AI-first mindset calls for a commitment to continuous learning about AI technologies and their applications.
They propose that organizations should first roll out programs to build AI proficiency across the company. These programs should cover AI basics, applications, and the potential implications on various business functions. A well-rounded AI education will smooth the way for proper AI governance and scaling within the company. Without a basic understanding of the foundational AI systems, it's hard to advise the company on an appropriate AI use policy or prioritize potential AI projects.
Brotman and Sack outline the developmental path for both individuals and organizations, from experimenting with AI to building an AI-first culture.
AI Literacy marks the initial stage, where individual AI use is primarily for basic search and information retrieval. Employees may start using AI for drafting simple emails and blog posts. For organizations, AI is employed at this stage for simple cost-cutting and basic content creation.
AI Proficiency sees individuals using AI for more intricate tasks such as creating customized GPTs for specific purposes like study aids or personal projects. Developers might also start creating customer AI applications. From an organizational standpoint, AI gets adopted for workforce automation, advanced content creation, and detailed customer interaction, with AI getting integrated into various departments to boost productivity.
At the more advanced AI Fluency stage, individuals exhibit the ability to innovate with AI to develop innovative solutions and use AI significantly to enhance their personal projects and productivity. Organizations leveraging AI extensively for strategy, margin improvement, and competitive differentiation achieve a high level of AI fluency, using AI for strategic decision making, resource allocation, and a greater amount of innovation, driving significant impacts on business margins and market position through AI innovation.
This AI-first approach also draws inspiration from the lean management methodology, prioritizing continuous improvement and innovation by creating products that customers want through interactive cycles of build, measure, and learn. This approach encourages reducing waste, understanding customer needs through direct feedback, and adjusting strategies based on data and insights.
- In the context of an AI-first strategy, Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, authors of "AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand," emphasize the importance of education and training, stating that individuals should commit to continuous learning about AI technologies and their applications, and organizations should roll out programs to build AI proficiency across the company.
- Furthermore, Brotman and Sack propose that online-education and self-development platforms can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between current AI literacy and the need for AI proficiency. They suggest that these platforms can provide learning opportunities for individuals to gain a well-rounded AI education, ranging from AI basics to the potential implications on various education-and-self-development aspects.
