Lately, we all have been inundated with headlines about AI. AI in schools, AI in policing, AI in supply lines. Lately, you may have noticed more and more companies are adding AI components to the tools we already use. Google searches now have AI recaps at the top of each page, Meta’s little blue circle follows you page to page, and Microsoft just announced a suite-wide rebrand to bring their AI device – Copilot – on board in every software they offer.
We want to help you navigate this new and confusing time, where the prevalence of AI seems to grow daily. As you weigh your options, here are five things we think you should consider when it comes to utilizing AI tools for your business:
1. If the product is free, you are the product
What we mean by this is that every endeavor aims to create income. If the AI tool you are considering is offered for free, then the company offering the tool is making their income another way. In the case of search engines or social media, the service is free to use because you are shown ads while you use it. Your attention is the product, sold to the advertisers. Regarding AI, the “product” often involves the data you input into the free tool, which the company can reuse for their own purposes, or sell. So when you start to wonder if that AI tool is right for your business, we suggest you begin by noting the price tag – listed or otherwise.
2. Context matters
Computers are great at a lot, but some things remain beyond their grasp. Consider the job you want AI to perform for you. Asking AI to recognize patterns, rename photos, order data, or organize files is better than writing responses to clients. Certain tasks require nuance and the ability to weigh multiple objectives at once. Those tasks are best reserved for you and your employees to tackle, as opposed to AI.
3. Proof it!
Whatever you want AI to accomplish, make sure you budget in time to double-check it. Because of the wide gap between human and machine thinking, you cannot assume that every task done by AI is completed exactly right. The parameters you provide to the machine might not be strict enough – or, conversely, may be too strict! If proofreading whatever your AI tool produces takes as much time as accomplishing the task on your own, ask yourself if the AI assist is really worth it.
4. Stay In House
Look at what is already available to you. Software and platforms in every industry are adding AI components to their existing services. Before you spend the time researching new tools, see what is already available in the systems you currently use. By consolidating your digital tools, you reduce your exposure to security breaches.
5. Consider your input
Once you’ve decided on what job you want AI to complete for you, and which tool you’ll use, you need to take a look at what data you’ll be feeding the machine. Is it your internal budgets, for making forecasts? Likely safe to do so. Is it your client’s financial data? Are you bound to HIPPA compliance or another similar statute? Maybe AI tools aren’t the right choice for those more sensitive jobs.
It’s a big time in the development of computing and machine learning. We want you to be safe and smart out there! If you have further questions or want our team’s thoughts on your specific situation, don’t hesitate to reach out. That’s what we are here for!
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