AI and You - Navigating the new frontier within organizations
Remember when artificial intelligence (AI) was just a buzzword, something we only saw in sci-fi movies? Times have rapidly changed. From those catchy Spotify playlists that seem to know your mood, to Netflix's eerily accurate movie suggestions, AI has become that friend who finishes your sentences. Now, it's making its mark in the corporate world with the eagerly awaited Microsoft 365 Copilot, available for enterprise customers on 1 November. But, as with any new friend, there's a getting-to-know phase.
The Human Side of the AI Story
Change is tricky, especially when it's as significant as AI. Employees are curious and excited, but also a bit anxious and fearful. Questions like, "Is AI here to take my job?" or "How do I even chat with this thing?" are floating around. But while AI is super smart, it can't empathize or share a laugh.
Chief Solutions Officer at Open Communication Group, Andreas Ringsted, is responsible for the digital change and transformation solutions Open provides for clients such as GEA, DHL Group, and Carlsberg Group, to name a few. He also oversees tech vendor partnerships, which include a global Microsoft partnership. This gives him a great overview of upcoming trends and digital adoption.
“There were huge digital transformations before and during the pandemic where people were forgotten,” said Andreas. “Now that we are aware of its significant impact, this is an opportunity for organizations to ensure there is as much focus on people as there is on the AI transformation.”
“The tech is here, and we must use it, but our focus must be on ensuring that people feel safe in the environment of change. This means addressing uncertainties related to job displacement, lack of understanding, and other areas of change resistance,” Andreas explained.
“Because of the changes in the ways of working AI will cause, we recommend that now is the time to start planning and testing. Instead of going big, we suggest starting small,” Andreas advised. “With Copilot around the corner, we’ve developed an adoption solution to ensure a pilot implementation is successful for users and helps the business decide if it's the right opportunity for them.”
This will:
- Accelerate success with technical advice, clear communication, and feedback.
- Overcome initial AI resistance.
- Highlight Copilot's value and impact in a business case.
Our Approach to Change
We're not just talking the AI talk; we're walking it, together with key clients. And we have a roadmap. In a book recently published by Quadriga University, Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations and Communications: Cases, Reflections, and Predictions, edited by Ana Adi, we outlined our approach to making colleagues comfortable with AI.
"Adoption is fundamentally a journey from one state to another. Our formula for successful adoption combines the rigor of the ADKAR change management model from Prosci with strategic communication to drive actionable change. This dual approach is our key to ensuring speed, action, and engagement in the acceptance and adoption of any new solution. It resonates because it speaks to the heart of any organization: its people."
“It's still early days for GAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence) adoption with employees. The technology is still relatively new, and it takes time to adjust habits and behaviors. Although we haven’t reached the impact stage of AI adoption with a client, we have strong evidence to support that our approach to technology adoption works,” Monique Zytnik and Matthew Lequick from Open Communication Group write.
We used this adoption approach to help the employees of the global brewing giant Carlsberg Group improve their digital employee experience and adopt Viva Connections and Engage. Through our robust adoption campaign, their new solution, CarlsNet, saw a 27% gain in views and a 50% increase in reach for global news compared to the old intranet.
Our approach was also employed with DHL Group for their Smart Connect App, which won the DCA 2022, Inkometa 2022, and Dpok 2022 awards for the best communication and adoption campaign.
With our guidance, these global players have fostered a culture where curiosity about AI is celebrated, and fear is a thing of the past.
Still Figuring It Out, Together
A recent McKinsey report, The Economical Potential of Generative AI: The Next Productivity Frontier, predicts that 75 percent of the value that Generative AI brings will primarily impact roles in customer operations, marketing and sales, software engineering, and research and development. They also estimate that half of today's work activities could be automated between 2030 and 2060, with a midpoint a decade earlier than they previously predicted.
This is exciting but can also be overwhelming. However, there's no need for concern. Stay alert, but not alarmed. We're on this rollercoaster ride together, learning, adapting, and growing.
Ready to deep dive?
Our thoughts on AI are making splashes everywhere. If you're curious to know more, delve into - Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations and Communications: cases, reflections, and predictions It's bursting with insights.
Looking at the adoption of AI in your organisation or perhaps another technology adoption? Need a chat over coffee (or maybe a virtual one)? We're all ears.
Ready to embrace the AI era with us?