As AI evolves from a buzzword to a reality, and people see real, measurable productivity gains, the question now is: How's AI adoption going for you and your organization? Are you part of a culture that prioritizes employee development in AI-related skills? If not, there will be consequences.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on AI, organizations need to prepare employees for adoption. By prioritizing employee development in AI-related skills, it will ensure you stay competitive, innovative, and resilient. (By the way, "AI-first" is the hip, new way of saying that you prioritize using AI tools over existing processes.)
“AI won’t replace your job. But people using AI will.”
This popular quote remains accurate, but I much prefer this older quote when thinking about AI adoption:
"Standing still is the fastest way of moving backwards in a rapidly changing world." —Lauren Bacall
Organizations aren’t putting enough emphasis and resources towards empowering their workforce to learn. I’ve spent the past year supporting companies in becoming AI-first, and they all seem to struggle to begin providing tools, and then create space to learn how to use those tools. Leadership looks at resource spend, wondering when the optimization will kick in, but doesn’t emphasize building the culture and foundation first.
Here are the four things guaranteed to happen if you don’t adopt an AI-first mindset in your organization:
1.You’ll be outpaced by your competitors.
AI-first companies are proving to be more efficient, productive, and innovative. Your lack of implementing AI effectively will make it increasingly difficult to stay ahead of your competition.
“It’s clear that businesses that don’t focus on incorporating AI into their marketing strategies will be quickly outpaced by competitors.” —Andrea Warmington
2. Your weakened decision-making will prove costly.
AI tools are great at analyzing data and providing insights that will help you make better decisions. Without the latest advancements supporting your business decisions, you can expect decreased productivity and increased costs in the long run.
“Beyond automating tasks, the other more remarkable impact of AI on an enterprise will be on decision-making: Large organizations still struggle to make good decisions on time.” —Jay Dwivedi, President of xInvest Consultants
3. You’ll lose your talented, forward-thinking employees.
Even in today's job market, employees are looking for more than just a paycheck. They're seeking companies that offer opportunities for growth and development. When an organization fails to adapt and innovate, it can lead to frustration. This results in top talent leaving the company, making it even harder to attract and retain new talent.
“When a high performer walks out the door, it’s a huge loss – for you, your team and the company. Not only do you lose their unique skills, knowledge and energy they brought to the work, you lose customer and vendor relationships.” —Andria Taylor
4. You’ll see a reduction in innovation, agility, and adaptability.
In this rapidly changing environment, innovation, agility, and adaptability are crucial. Without investing in your employees' AI learning, you’ll struggle to adapt, which will ultimately lead to missed opportunities and stunted organizational growth.
“The playing field is poised to become a lot more competitive, and businesses that don’t deploy AI and data to help them innovate in everything they do will be at a disadvantage.” —Paul Daugherty, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Accenture
The consequences of ignoring AI are far-reaching and can have devastating effects on a company's competitiveness, innovation, and overall success. Investing in your people is a strategic imperative for businesses looking to thrive in today's fast-evolving landscape.
Get a list of free resources and help your people get up to speed on AI tools faster at The Grai.
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