Curiously, you would think that people in working in a similar industry and the same company would apply Gen AI in a similar way. Coding, data analytics or content generation. Turns out that most employees don’t even know if they can use Gen AI in their daily tasks, and those that do are only dabbling with it. Considering the many (and some quite powerful use cases), using Gen AI for spellchecking and admin seems like a bit of a waste.
By contrast, senior management has a very different view of how the company should be using Gen AI to their advantage. They see the potential in data analytics, improving customer experience and scaling organizational capabilities for content creation.
These two different views highlight possible communication barriers and that many companies don’t have a clear policy on how, when and where Gen AI can be used. We’ve all heard the horror stories of Samsung employees using early versions of ChatGPT to code, and unwittingly exposing intellectual property in the process. It made big companies wary and many immediately implemented an all out ban on Gen AI.
Many things have changed since those early days, including Gen AI integrations into many commonly used platforms. Business leaders are getting more comfortable with using Gen AI, especially with scaling and speeding up output.
The challenge is that if employees aren’t aware of this change of heart and how they’re expected to use Gen AI, the company is not going to reap the benefits. They may also be getting conflicting feedback from IT departments on what they can and can’t do amid security concerns.
Amazing how simple small things can end up being a stumbling block. The good news it’s simple to overcome these. Take for example these three steps that companies can implement:
1. Have a clear Gen AI policy
While rulebooks may seem boring, they have the benefit of providing very clear guidelines to employees. Especially if the policy has been vetted by IT security teams and senior management. With a clear policy, employees can understand how the company expects them to use Gen AI, and which, if any applications, are not allowed.
2. Frequently share Gen AI updates
The world of Gen AI is rapidly evolving, which means policy will need to be revised from time to time. Applications and use cases too. Communicating a monthly update is a good way to keep employees engaged and up to date with company expectations and news.
3. Provide Gen AI training
Like most new tools and technologies, people can’t be expected to intuitively know how to use it. For some employees it may be really easy, but this can’t be assumed. If companies are serious about leveraging the benefits of Gen AI, then they need to invest time in training employees so that they know how to use it.
Gen AI may be reshaping business, but it’s those companies that really know how to use it that’ll gain the competitive edge. Empowering employees – that’s a big part of it.
