With the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2023, the AI plane has been on a non-stop runway with no ending in sight. For some, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a scary topic which poses conversations full of fear. Others are extremely fascinated by the new capabilities they may now possess with the power of AI. Over the past year, it has become clear that AI is here to stay and will shape our future in many ways. Though, the specific ways and the full extent of AI’s capabilities are still unknown. However, what we do know is that the only real limiter to AI will be the individual using, or not using, AI. The AI itself will continue to develop and perfect itself, but will you be using it as a tool or will you drag behind?
As a business, that question above is an essential one to ask yourself. We recognize that all businesses are at different points with varying circumstances, however, as you look to grow you will need to figure out how and when to implement AI. Additionally, you will need to know exactly what you are implementing for. Therefore, we have developed the AI Bible for Businesses which is designed to give you a standard guideline full of key prerequisites that should be considered before your business implants AI.
The first thing that you need to do is ask yourself a series of questions:
What problem do I want to solve?
How quickly do I want to solve it?
How much money do I want to spend?
What will my stakeholders think about these changes?
Once you have answered these key questions, you are able to start the actual process. By the end you should have considered numerous different questions and ideas. These being, data infrastructure, data management systems, technology infrastructure, employees, regulations, security, and integration as its own.
Starting with data infrastructure, it is necessary to know how you are getting your data. Is the data high-quality, relevant data? Companies need vast amounts of structured and unstructured data for training AI models. If implementing outsourced AI, you likely do not need to have to worry about sourcing the data, though it is important to be aware of where you are getting it from. This is important because the AI’s results vary based on how it is trained. For example, healthcare companies do not want data trained with limited medical information. Therefore, the data infrastructure is a major consideration.
Similarly, the next prerequisite is understanding your data management system. Not only is this important for the purpose of organization but also communication. Are there robust data storage, management, and retrieval systems in place? If not, how quickly can you implement these to get the best performance out of your AI? These answers are essential because when running AI, you are handling large datasets (sometimes with sensitive data) that need to ensure data integrity and security. Also, if you want to use the AI at a reasonable speed, you need to consider how your data is stored. Are you going to store your data in the cloud, on-premises, or at a data center? This affects all the issues outlined in this paragraph. Then there is the question of how you are communicating? Do you use Teams, Zoom, or another option. It is necessary to know how you are sharing information within your environment. Furthermore, how are you handling your network connectivity? Does your company use VPN, SD-WAN, or something else to manage your network? All of these are essential for data management as it helps understand, storage, security, speed, and communication.
Briefly touched on in the previous paragraph but now we have the hardware infrastructure. AI algorithms require significant computational resources. Companies need powerful hardware, such as GPUs and TPUs, or access to cloud-based computing services. Do you have the right physical technology to successfully implement? If not, do you have a different plan to ensure proper enablement? Investing in appropriate AI tools, frameworks, and platforms (such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Azure AI) is crucial for developing and deploying AI solutions.
Now for the humans! There are two parts to consider as a business decision maker. The first is the cultural effect AI may have on your company. Many employees fear that they will lose their job. However, AI is actually expected to create 10 million more jobs than it will take away! Anyway, it is necessary to try and include employees in the implementation. This will allow them to gain comfort with the new AI, feel like they are part of the process, and lead to better usage. You want your employees utilizing the AI to the best of their abilities, therefore it will be beneficial to include them in the implementation process. The second part to consider is do you have the right personnel to implement AI. If your company does not have employees with the right skill sets, you need to look to outsource. Though, it is important to note that if your employees are not capable of using the AI, you will need other solutions. This is because AI is constantly changing and improving. This means there is a need for continuous training and upskilling programs for existing employees to keep pace with AI advancements and ensure effective utilization of AI technologies.
Lastly, there are the ethical and regulatory considerations. Adherence to relevant laws and regulations related to data privacy, security, and AI ethics (such as GDPR, CCPA, etc.). This pushes the need to ensure proper cybersecurity practices are being followed as well. Using MFA, firewalls, backups, and more, to follow the law. It is also important to consider that these laws will be constantly evolving as AI continues to develop. By establishing ethical guidelines and frameworks to ensure responsible AI usage, mitigate biases, and address ethical concerns, you will put your business in a position for the future.
Before concluding, it is necessary to once again highlight that everyone’s business is at a different stage. This could be due to numerous reasons, though it may limit you from a full implementation process. To cover all the areas mentioned, there will be a financial implication and not everyone can cover the full process immediately. Therefore, we take the steps in smaller chunks to prepare your infrastructure for a later implementation. Ultimately, businesses need to realize that the quicker they implement AI, the better off they will be for the future. The returns you make from AI by implementing a year before your competitor, will give you an exponential advantage for years to come. The results from AI will compound year over year so it is in your best interest to move quickly. Please address these prerequisites, create a solid foundation for successful AI implementation, and maximize the benefits of AI technologies to drive exponential growth for your business.
