AI Now

 

AI NOW: Embracing the Future of AI in Organisational Strategy and Operations

November 30, 2023

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept but a present reality, deeply ingrained in various aspects of organizational operations. The integration of AI into our daily processes is not just about adopting new technology; it's about rethinking our strategies, policies, and systems to leverage AI's full potential. But the key question remains: How AI-ready is your organization?

Understanding the AI Landscape in Your Organization

What systems already use AI? Many organizations have AI embedded in standalone systems, services, and applications, often without realizing its full scope. It's crucial to conduct an inventory to understand where AI is already at work. This includes recognizing AI-enabled assets and assessing their effectiveness in areas like counter-fraud measures, risk management, and incident management.

Do your procurement team understand AI? As AI becomes increasingly critical in supply chain and procurement processes, it's essential that your team is not only aware but also well-educated in AI functionalities and implications.

Key Actions for AI Integration

1. Data Quality: Remember, data is the fuel of AI. Ensuring high data quality is foundational for effective AI deployment.
2. Amending Contractual Terms: As AI transforms service designs, your contractual agreements must reflect these changes.
3. Education and Awareness: Building a culture of AI awareness is vital. This involves training and educating your staff about AI's capabilities and limitations.

Being AI-Ready: A Strategic Approach

AI integration should not be an ad-hoc process but a strategic decision. Every step towards AI integration should align with your organization's strategic goals, maximizing value and ensuring a transformative impact. It's about understanding the 'velocity' – the speed at which your organization can adapt to and integrate AI, considering your risk appetite and vision.

Comprehensive AI Strategy: Beyond Technology

1. People: Incorporating AI into HR policies is crucial. How will AI assist with processes related to joiners, movers, and leavers (JML)?
2. Places: Physical locations must be considered in your AI strategy. How can AI enhance your place strategy?
3. Policies and Processes: AI can significantly streamline policy development and process optimization. The key is to ensure that your data and information strategy is robust and up-to-date.
4. Procedures: Efficient and effective procedures, powered by AI, can leverage high value in a dynamically driven environment.

Embracing AI with Security and Assurance

While AI presents numerous opportunities, it also introduces new risks, particularly in terms of information security. Ensuring that your supply chain is digitally secure and AI-ready is crucial. Your workforce should be trained not only to leverage AI but also to understand the necessary safeguards.

AI in Service of Organisational Transformation

AI's potential to prevent fraud, enhance knowledge, and transform organizations is immense. However, its integration needs to be structured, value-driven, and secure. This means taking care of personally identifiable information and other sensitive data.

As AI continues to advance, it's not a question of whether it will permeate every aspect of our operations but how well we prepare for it. The journey to becoming AI-ready is continuous and requires a holistic approach, integrating technology with strategy, people, and processes.

To explore more about AI in organizational contexts, check out these resources:

• Dataiku's Insight on AI
• Alvaro Cintas' AI Analysis
• SuperTools on AI Integration
• Security Break on AI in Threat Intelligence

Embrace AI, transform strategically, and propel your organisation into the future.

Issues to Consider Checklist:

[ ] Strategy - Make sure you have one [ ] Policies - Ensure you update your existing policies [ ] Data Quality data is the fuel of AI - ensure it is accurate. [ ] Supply chain / procurement [ ] Education of your Leaders [ ] Training of your staff [ ] Making the most of what you’ve brought! - AI may already be here. [ ] Knowing what you have (Information asset register) [ ] What systems and services already has AI built in? [ ] Counter fraud - Be aware of your processes. [ ] Risk management - Revisit with an AI lease. [ ] Risk appetite - define it and write it down. [ ] Resilience planning - What happens when things go wrong? [ ] Incident management - Be prepared [ ] Service design - Ensure you're adhering to standards.