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1、17/1 0/2024INDEPENDEN T P U B L I C AT I O N BY#0921R AC O N T EU R.NE TAI FOR BUSINESSFINANCE CHIEFS TOP TIPS FOR INVESTING IN AIHOW TO AVOID PILOT-PROJECT PURGATORY1405WILL AI UPSET EMPLOYEES WORK/LIFE BALANCE?18R A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S0302heres a common belief that AI will

2、 free workers from monotonous or low-level tasks,opening up time for more stimulating work.But research sug-gests this may not be the case.Milena Nikolova,a professor in the economics of wellbeing at the Uni-versity of Groningen,has looked at data on thousands of workers across 20 European countries

3、 over two decades.She found that automation in industrial workplaces actually increased repetitive and monoto-nous tasks for humans.Human work became more routine,not less.Nikolovas research found that robotisation made work more intense,focusing on a dwindling set of tasks that machines could not e

4、asily accomplish.These tasks were also less interesting,with fewer opportunities for cognitively chal-lenging work and human contact.Workers also became more reliant on a machines pace of work and had a more limited understanding of the full production process.The overall result was a decline in mea

5、ningful work and autonomy.Think of a warehouse operator in a semi-automated depot:the worker still needs to be present while the robot functions.The employee depends on the machines output and activities,while the human work is more routine-intensive,less challenging and less interactive.Theres no t

6、ime for better work.This research focused on low-skilled work,but we know now that AI is also taking over more cogni-tively challenging and creative tasks that only humans could previ-ously perform,whether it be cus-tomer service or content creation.“Im not worried that people wont have stuff to do.

7、I am worried about the actual content and quality of the jobs that are created with new technologies and the tasks left over for humans,”explains Nikolova.“Will,say,automation and AI cre-ate so-called“bullshit”or mean-ingless jobs?This new wave of automation,including AI,is very different.It has the

8、 potential to affect highly skilled,highly educat-ed and highly paid knowledge workers.This is something weve not seen before,”she explains.Dont expect entire occupations to be automated with new AI-powered solutions.Instead,more structured tasks will be taken on by machines or jobs will be restruct

9、ured so they can accommodate AI.How AI is adopted in the work-place therefore matters.We need to consider the types of tasks it takes over,whether it is human-centric in design and whether it promotes meaningful work.According to the International Monetary Fund,AI will affect 60%of jobs in advanced

10、economies and half of these exposed jobs could be negatively impacted.The stakes are high:the market for AI is set to reach$184bn in 2024.Expect more firms to leverage AI in workplaces across the globe.“Certainly AI poses a range of challenges to meaningful work,”says Katie Bailey,professor of work

11、and employment at Kings College London.“There is the risk that jobs become broken up and disjointed due to AI,or that humans simply end up tending the machine.”Its not all negative,of course;AI has incredible potential.But under-standing the technologys mission creep on the tasks and workplace value

12、s humans hold dear is essen-tial.For instance,AI can increase the intensity of work and put pres-sure on“humans in the loop”as they try to keep pace with algorithms.There are other workplace risks too.AI-powered tools can impinge on worker autonomy,accelerate the adoption of staff surveillance sys-t

13、ems,erode employee competen-cies without adequate retraining and degrade employee socialisation and human interactions.Public and private organisations need an open and honest dialogue on how new tech tools impact employment and whether it pro-motes or hinders meaningful work.The adoption of AI-powe

14、red work platforms is rarely voted on by employees.At the same time,very few businesses have a framework for what dignity at work looks like with respect to AI or capture objec-tive data on these topics.Carl Benedikt Frey is associate professor of AI and work at the Uni-versity of Oxford.He says the

15、re are lessons to be learnt from past indus-trial revolutions on how this new digital evolution,driven by AI,will affect meaningful work today.Initially,in the early 1800s,the automation of human tasks in fac-tory settings such as mills and foundries didnt lead to huge strides in productivity growth

16、,which only came later,after a period known as Engels Pause.Instead,it led to human replacement,unrest and a hollowing out of the labour market.It was only when old industries were reconfigured and new ones were born that meaningful work fully evolved such as the creation of the automobile or aviati

17、on sectors.Just like in past revolutions,it takes years to get beyond plain automation.A recalibration of industry requires human experi-mentation and ingenuity,which demands time and space.“Right now were in the automation stage of AI,”says Frey.“Its about increas-ing efficiency with respect to the

18、 tasks were already doing in the workplace.What we should be ask-ing ourselves is what is it that we can now do with this technology that we previously couldnt do?”When it comes to meaningful work and AI we need to move from a system focused on production,measuring how long it takes a work-er to com

19、plete a task or how many clicks generates a particular out-put.Instead,“we need to take a more holistic approach and allow people to experiment,”Frey says.This is the opportunity:if human workers are given more autonomy and more thinking time with this new tech they could shift the dial on all sorts

20、 of industrial,economic,social and environmental issues,driving new waves of creativity and workplace happiness.If AI is used primarily to replace tasks,boost efficiencies and generally feed the machine,we are unlikely to see either huge leaps in productivity or more meaningful work.Will AI free emp

21、loyees or crush meaningful work?AI FOR BUSINESSWere often told that AI will allow us to do more meaningful work,but research shows the opposite may be true.This has huge implications for the workplaceDistributed inNick EasenPublished in association withVoluntas,2024Personal growthBelongingPurposeLea

22、dershipA U T O M AT I O NTaprott via iStockAlthough this publication is funded through advertising and sponsorship,all editorial is without bias and sponsored features are clearly labelled.For an upcoming schedule,partnership inquiries or feedback,please call+44(0)20 3877 3800 or email .Raconteur is

23、 a leading business media organisation and the 2022 PPA Business Media Brand of the Year.Our articles cover a wide range of topics,including technology,leadership,sustainability,workplace,marketing,supply chain and finance.Raconteur special reports are published exclusively in The Times and The Sund

24、ay Times as well as online at ,where you can also find our wider journalism and sign up for our newsletters.The information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources the Proprietors believe to be correct.However,no legal liability can be accepted for any errors.No part of this pub

25、lication may be reproduced without the prior consent of the Publisher.Raconteur Mediaraconteurraconteur.storiesraconteur-media/ai-for-business-oct-Sam BirchallStaff writer at Raconteur,focusing on the inner workings of the finance function and the trends shaping the future of financial leadership.Ni

26、ck EasenAn award-winning writer and broadcaster,covering science,tech,economics and business.He has produced content for BBC World News,CNN and Time.MaryLou CostaA business writer specialising in the future of work,with articles featured in The Guardian,The Observer and Business Insider,among others

27、.Natasha Khullar RelphA freelance journalist with articles published in The New York Times,Time,BBC and CNN,among others.Tamlin MageeSenior technology writer at Raconteur.Hes interested in the big ideas shaping business tech and the impact of new technologies on people and society.Rich McEachranA fr

28、eelance journalist covering the intersection of business,technology and sustainability for publications including The Guardian and Wired,as well as B2B titles.Sally WhittleAn experienced business and technology writer with work featured in national newspapers and B2B publications in the UK and the U

29、S.ContributorsIts possible on an Intel AI PC.Keep private data between you and your PC.Learn more at intel.co.uk/AIPCRefers to non-cloud based AI applications;No product or component can be absolutely secure.Design and illustrationKellie JerrardSamuele MottaSpecial projects editorIan DeeringSub-edit

30、orGerrard CowanDesign directorTim WhitlockProduction executiveSabrina SeverinoCommercialproduction managersAlex DatcuEllen NewsomeCommercial content executive Jessica Lynn Commercial content editors Laura BithellLarnie Hur WHAT MAKES WORK MEANINGFUL?Employees citing the following as the greatest con

31、tributor to meaningful work32%31%30%7%R A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S0504Commercial featureEmployees are increasingly signing up for SaaS tools that their companies have not authorised,leaving bosses unsure of how to address the issue.The growing use of shadow IT where unsanctioned

32、technologies appear within the workplace is unavoidable,but organisations can adapt.“Its happening,and you cannot run away from it,”says David Parry-Jones,CRO at global language AI company DeepL.“Companies can shut down access to certain websites and tools,but employees will just find an alternative

33、.”The potential dangers include the unintentional loss of confiden-tial information and other data from within the business and,when it comes to shadow AI,there is also the risk that inaccurate information will be generated.According to 2024 research by Microsoft and Linkedin,78%of AI users are alre

34、ady bringing their own tools to work.However,one positive impact of shadow IT is that CIOs gain insight into next-generation technology that may make their organisations more pro-ductive and profitable.This is espe-cially true with emerging technologies such as AI,where employees use of off-the-shel

35、f tools can help business leaders discover viable use cases.DeepL recently commissioned a study with Forrester Consulting,which underscores why leaders should invest in reliable and special-ised AI solutions to ensure consist-ency,security and accuracy.For example,organisations that rely on translat

36、ed materials to improve communication between employ-ees,clients and customers may inad-vertently damage their reputation if employees use inconsistent and inac-curate translation tools.By using specialised AI tools,organ-isations can exercise greater con-trol over outputs and achieve better results

37、.With DeepLs translation soft-ware,for example,businesses can enjoy a 90%reduction in internal doc-ument translation time,and a higher level of accuracy and personalisation.Business leaders also need to ensure that the tools their employees use comply with regulations in different markets,such as GD

38、PR in Europe.There remains some apprehension around AI because the technology is disrupting traditional ways of working.These worries are understandable,especially in sensitive sectors such as law,health or the public sector,where a data breach can have dire consequences.“We saw the same concerns wi

39、th cloud computing,but attitudes change over time because the benefits ulti-mately outweigh the risks,”says Parry-Jones.“Shadow AI is adding to con-cerns because businesses worry about what third parties might do with their data.We have to work hard to build trust.DeepL Pro,which is designed for ent

40、erprises and individuals with reg-ular translation needs,does not store any data inputted for translation.”He adds that education is key to con-veying the benefits of using specialised translation tools.“Internal productivity improves because people in different locations around the world can collab

41、orate and communicate more effectively,which saves a lot of time.Previously,documents had to be sent to an external agency to get a good quality translation.”Specialised AI tools are also helping businesses in predominantly monolin-gual markets,such as the US and the UK,where employees must communi-

42、cate professionally in the languages of local customers in different countries.There is evidence that this can deliver a considerable competitive advantage,especially for SMEs.As trust builds around the busi-ness benefits of AI,organisations may become more willing to share their data.This will be e

43、ssential if the next genera-tion of AI tools is to provide even more accurate and personalised solutions.“Business leaders need to under-stand that to get really customised AI information,whether for translation or something else,they need to give the engine some data to allow customisa-tion.This wi

44、ll happen over time.”DeepL is already working with busi-nesses to improve the translation of large files(such as multi-page PDFs)that might contain technical terms or important product information,where accuracy is crucial.In September 2024,the company enhanced its DeepL glossary func-tionality,allo

45、wing companies to trans-late specific terms and phrases unique to their industries.This improves global brand consistency by account-ing for nuanced translations.Among the languages added to the tool are Korean,Danish,Swedish,Norwegian and Romanian.“This is about using AI to give an industry context

46、 to a translation.An organisation defines which words used internally need to be translated in a particular way,”says Parry-Jones.“If everyone is using the same sanc-tioned AI tool rather than their own,you get more accuracy and personal-isation and avoid potential data pro-tection issues.”Parry-Jon

47、es points out that people will always have a role,especially in sensitive sectors like law.In the legal sector,AI is used heavily for transla-tions,but a human still runs his or her eyes over the final documents.In other sectors,such as customer service,where online chat tools are common,the current

48、 accuracy of AI translation is arguably sufficient,Parry-Jones says.This is especially true when there is the option for someone to speak to a human if they need to.“The best AI is human,and it is used by people to communicate with other people,”he says.“We are often asked questions about the future

49、 and whether,for example,the need to learn a language is dead.In many ways,AI translation tools that are accurate and trusted help people learn languages by accelerating their learning.This is good for business people who travel.”At a time when businesses face numerous challenges,AI can be a money a

50、nd time-saving enabler.It can help organisations survive economic downturns,become more corporately responsible and remain innovative and relevant.The challenge over the next year will be to build trust in,and knowledge of,specialised tools to minimise any threats from employees shadow AI.For more i

51、nformation please The rise of shadow AI and how specialised AI could combat itBusinesses looking to reap the benefits of AI without incurring risks should consider more tailored tools Shadow AI is adding to concerns because businesses worry about what third parties might do with their dataFinance le

52、aders must assess what AI can do for their business before they commit the organisations precious time and money.We asked three CFOs to outline their approachInvesting in AI:CFOs top tipsAs investment in AI balloons,finance leaders must deter-mine whether the technolo-gy will deliver on its promises

53、 to accelerate growth and productivity.Gartner predicts that AI software spending will surge to$298bn(228bn)by 2027,up from$124bn(95bn)in 2022.Most businesses assume that AI can boost their bot-tom line,but figuring out by how much,and how long that will take,remains a challenge.Research from The fi

54、rst question on my mind as a CFO when it comes to a new AI pro-ject is,“where am I driving effic-iency?”Is it improving a process internally or is it delivering value for customers?Once I identify the path or process,I need to assess the vari-ous AI tools to work out how they can help plug the gap a

55、nd generate a sustainable return on investment.Its essential to consider the spe-cific business problem that you want to address with AI and the expected results.Then you must measure the cost of the process using set metrics:for example,the average response time for a custom-er service call or the

56、average time it takes to close a ticket in HR.When it comes to implementing an AI solution,prioritisation is key.This is as much about deciding what you will do as it is about what you will not do.As CFO,youll need to fund and resource any new AI initi-ative,which means something else is not getting

57、 funded or existing expenditure must be reallocated.Brokering the trade-offs can be difficult but rewarding.Its hard to say no to some ideas,but it will be necessary.Knowing your top priori-ties and goals is key.In my experience,when assessing an AI project,CFOs and other C-suite leaders must first

58、identify a Based on the uncertainty weve seen in the economic climate in the past year,many CFOs are concen-trating their efforts on AI and auto-mation.Although most finance professionals are known for being risk-averse,its no longer a matter of if they will be successful with AI:they now should kno

59、w they need it.The most important area to con-sider when assessing the feasibility of an AI project is whether your workforce is AI-ready.This means taking the time to evaluate whether your staff are equipped with the knowledge and tools to use AI tech-nology in a safe and efficient way that complie

60、s with regulations and results in a positive return on invest-ment.If not,this may require upskilling teams which takes time software platform Orgvue found that 82%of firms are ramping up investment in AI,despite 50%being unclear on its business impact.CFOs control the purse strings,so they need to

61、understand what AI can do for their business before they commit time and money to imple-menting it.Here,three finance chiefs share how they are assessing the cost,value and feasibility of AI projects in their organisations and the challenges involved.Crucially,one also needs to under-stand the oppor

62、tunity cost of not embracing AI for a given task.At Commercetools,weve looked at tooling AI internally for a variety of processes.The biggest challenge that I have is the proliferation of these tools across different areas of the business and the lack of a con-solidated view.Its not about how many l

63、arge language models youre able to deploy,but rather how to get a few to do multiple jobs at once and be consistent with outcomes.Plus,you need to properly train and maintain the models as new data becomes available.When considering implementing AI initiatives,the real challenge is assessing whether

64、 deploying AI will save costs in one area while poten-tially increasing them elsewhere.Ive tried to solve these challenges by asking our leaders what they are currently doing,what they are going to continue doing and what they are going to stop.This is a way of thinking about the feasibility and cos

65、t-versus-value approach to AI projects in business.Its important to investigate the long-term role of AI in the organisa-tion.As time goes on,AI systems accumulate a wealth of data and intellectual property,creating ques-tions such as:is data structured in a way that allows AI to continue using it?A

66、nd,how do I value this asset?goal or pain point and map all the steps of the process.Once this work has been done and potential AI tools have been identified,its time to start evaluating the technical and resource requirements.A crucial step in all of this is the partnership between the finance and

67、tech department.CFOs should work with CIOs and their teams to ensure the new tools and processes are easy to deploy safely,quickly and responsibly,with minimal need for specialised skills or IT,data sci-entists and engineers getting involved.Complexity often leads to extra costs and slower adoption.

68、and money to ensure they under-stand the tools available to help them to succeed.Its always important to think about the ultimate goal,as opposed to progress for the sake of progress.A worthwhile AI project is one that enables workers to better collect,process and analyse data,resulting in faster,mo

69、re meaningful insights.These insights should in turn help people to become more agile and improve their decision-making.Some key areas were considering for AI project implementation and likely other companies are too are customer communications,such as sending invoice payment remind-ers,and financia

70、l evaluations,such as tracking KPIs around sales,reve-nue growth,cash flow and expenses.Sometimes it can even make pro-cesses worse than before.CFOs must also condier how to drive adoption and get buy-in throughout the organisation,know-ing the nuances of each department.Dont underestimate the impor

71、-tance of change management in making the project a success.At the end of the day,you will never have perfect information or a decision that is entirely without risk.Given there may not be as much certainty with AI investments,you will need to be willing to make an educated decision and determine an

72、 acceptable level of risk.Sam BirchallI N V E S T M E N TIts not about how many LLMs youre able to deploy,but rather how to get a few to do multiple jobs at once and be consistentBrokering the trade-offs can be difficult.Its hard to say no to some ideas,but it will be necessaryMelissa Howatson CFO a

73、t Vena,a fintechNancy Person CFO at Hyland,a software companyDan Murphy CFO at Commercetools,an ecommerce companyIts important to think about the ultimate goal,as opposed to progress for the sake of itR A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S0706s organisations rush to invest in new AI tools,

74、lead-ers are both excited and apprehensive.AI systems can pro-vide tremendous value to organisa-tions,individuals and society.However,the integration of AI is making humans deeply aware of the ethical responsibilities the adoption of this technology brings.Balancing the risks and opportunities requi

75、res facing up to four key fears.1 Fear of missing outBusiness leaders often worry their organisation is not imple-menting AI quickly enough,which creates anxiety over potentially falling behind competitors.This can lead to hasty investments made without a clear strategy,or siloed efforts across depa

76、rtments.While the desire for urgent action is understandable,organisations need a more thoughtful approach.Success comes from identifying specific business problems that AI can address and aligning initiatives with core business objectives.A cohesive,enterprise-wide strategy is essential,as are stro

77、ng founda-tional elements encompassing data infrastructure,talent development and organisational culture.2 Fear of messing upLeaders understandably worry about data breaches,biased out-comes and regulatory compliance.Developing robust governance frameworks and ethical guidelines from the outset is t

78、herefore essen-tial.Auditing for biases and focus-ing on employee AI literacy,can also help to mitigate risks.Many organi-sations find success by starting with lower-risk applications to build con-fidence and expertise before tack-ling more complex use cases.3 Fear of moving fastThe pace of change c

79、an create inertia in the organisation.Leaders may hesitate to commit to AI initia-tives because theyre concerned about disrupting existing opera-tions or making investments that may quickly become obsolete.Theres also the challenge of help-ing the workforce adapt to new AI-driven processes.The solut

80、ion is to build a culture of agility and continuous learning.Organisations that embrace iterative development approaches can move quickly while minimising risk.Strong change-management pro-cesses and investment in training can help to support employees through the transition.And,build-ing flexible,s

81、calable AI infrastruc-ture ensures firms are able to evolve with changing technologies.4 Fear of making obsoletePerhaps the most personal fear is that AI will render existing skills,processes,or entire business models irrelevant.The key to addressing this fears is to reframe AI adoption as an op p-o

82、rtunity for augmentation and enhancement rather than replace-ment.Forward-thinking organisa-tions invest heavily in reskilling at all levels,preparing their workforce for the future while positioning themselves to leverage the full potential of human/AI collabora-tion.Continuous reassessment and ada

83、ptation of business models ensure ongoing relevance in an AI-driven world.The path forwardOrganisations must take a strategic approach that addresses these four fears.In practice,that means prior-itising responsible AI implementa-tion,investing in talent and culture and embracing agility and continu

84、-ous learning.It also requires regu-larly reassessing business models to ensure theyre in tune with emerg-ing trends and opportunities.The most important lesson for digital leaders is,dont panic.By addressing these fears and pusuring a strategic approach,organisations can overcome the challenges of

85、scal-ing up AI adoption and unlock the technologys full potential.Despite the pressures,the race to AI trans-formation will be a marathon,not a sprint.The key is to move forward with purpose and recognise that AI requires a long-term investment.The race to AI transformation is a marathon,not a sprin

86、tI N S I G H TBusiness leaders are anxious about the perceived urgency to deploy AI tools.But a more measured approach could help to allay the anxiety and lead to long-term successAEven as employees express concerns about generative AI impacting their careers,many use tools such as ChatGPT and Gemin

87、i in their daily work-flows.Without the proper training,that could be a problem.Users command GenAI systems via text inputs or prompts and the platforms use a probabilistic algorithm to return what they think the answer might be.Theres no denying the success of such tools.Since OpenAI released ChatG

88、PT,the GenAI platform has acquired 180.5 million users as of September 2024,drawn to its sim-plicity.According to Cypher Learn-ing,a quarter of employees use GenAI at work whether their boss has signed off on it or not.This could be a compliance night-mare.Staff might use the various AI assistants t

89、o work on confidential documents.The overly trusting,or those under intense time pressures,might turn to consumer GenAI as a source of information without prop-erly scrutinising its output.Plus,these platforms can spit out con-vincing hallucinations or return results with baked-in bias.So how can or

90、ganisations empow-er their staff to make the most of GenAI,while avoiding these pit-falls?As with developing any new skill,training is essential but there still isnt enough of it.The Cypher report found that in organi-sations that have approved the use of GenAI,57%of employees barely utilise the tec

91、hnology,mostly on experimentation,employers can dive into advanced techniques.Infosys,the tech-services firm,decided that its entire workforce of more than 300,000 employees should be AI-ready equipped with the basic knowledge of what GenAI is,how it works and the process of crafting effective promp

92、ts.Rafee Tarafdar,CTO at Infosys,says the company took a three-tiered approach to training,split-ting staff into general consumers of AI,who would receive basic train-ing;builders,who would use GenAI to create new products or applica-tions;and masters,who would build a deeper understanding of GenAI

93、for their specific domains.Advanced AI techniques might include training employees in parameters such as temperature,which in the parlance of LLMs essentially means variability in results:ie high temperatures allow for more creativity and randomness in the response,while low tem-peratures demand saf

94、er and more predictable responses.The company also encourages employees to experiment with other elements,such as personas:what kind of person do users want the model to consider in its outputs?Going deeper still,developers using GenAI may need training on how to check and validate the out-put of th

95、e code generated.Security specialists might investigate prompt injection attacks where GenAI is turned against itself and tricked to provide answers outside of its secu-rity guardrails to audit the safety and efficacy of the models in use.One of the most important factors across the board is to faci

96、litate ongoing learning.“Prompts that work for one model will not work for another model,”says Tarafdar.“You need to contin-uously learn to work across models and across versions.”That learning looks a little differ-ent than for traditional software.With typical business software such as a content m

97、anagement system or a customer-relationship manage-ment tool,the application will always work in the same way.Button X achieves task Y,for instance.By comparison,GenAI can be inconsistent.It is only as effective as the prompts issued to it.The user must know how to get the best from the app.It is mo

98、re like the effective use of search,with its requirements for critical thinking and trial and error to find what you need.“Every person thinks and asks questions differently,so prompt-engineering training must address diversity of logic as well as diversity of learning styles to be effective and enr

99、iching,”says Kathy Diaz,chief people officer at Cognizant,an IT-services and consulting firm.“Prompt engineering is a mix of art and science,so training has to cover the fundamentals of prompting but also enable learners to think through less-straightforward fac-tors such as clarity and context,cre-

100、ativity,iteration and validation to achieve optimal results,”Diaz says.This means hands-on tasks are essential.Cognizant,for instance,acquired 25,000 licences for Micro-soft Copilot and set up sandbox environments so that employees could freely experiment and observe how outputs varied.At the same t

101、ime,employees receive access to practical exercises,quizzes and discussions.The idea is to combine theoretical knowledge with concrete,real-world applica-tion of their skills.“A blended learning experience is critical to engage diverse learning styles and create deeper under-standing of concepts,”Di

102、az says.“Along with e-learning courses,we have subject matter experts to deep-en conversation,provide examples and clarify concepts.”Continuous training and upskill-ing should always be a priority,especially around emerging tech-nologies such as AI.But Graham Glass,founder and CEO of Cypher Learning

103、,urges some caution in terms of training everyone on cer-tain aspects of the technology,such as prompt engineering.“Theres a bit of a knee-jerk reac-tion from companies that think everyone needs specific prompt training when that isnt really the case,”Glass argues.“While itll be a big part of some j

104、obs for those who need to get under the hood and work directly with the AI your average worker wont need to do that.”Glass expects the need for users to learn complex prompt design or prompt engineering will“largely disappear”by 2025,as AI technolo-gies become more deeply embedded into everyday appl

105、ications.Peter van der Putten,director of the AI lab at Pega,says employees in an enterprise context wont just use chatbot-style interfaces.In many cases,GenAI will be embedded into tools,processes and workflows,with prompts hidden for end users.“It will be more important to train employees on gener

106、al GenAI princi-ples:for instance,the fact that the output can be hallucinating or Tamlin MageeTraining has to cover the fundamentals,but also less-straightforward factors such as clarity and context,creativity,iteration and validationoutcome,he notes.“Giving exam-ples and refining responses helps t

107、eams get the suggestions theyre looking for in the shortest amount of time,which is crucial to increasing efficiency and productivity.”His company set about starting a GenAI training scheme after part-nering with Microsoft and adopting the Copilot suite of AI chatbot apps.Tech Mahindra carved traini

108、ng into two distinct groups:developers and information workers,the latter including sales teams,project man-agers and senior leaders.Prompt engineering was a large part of this training.The education began with courses on the founda-tional concepts of GenAI,followed by case studies,test assignments

109、and responsible-AI content covering data privacy and security guardrails and ensuring sensitive information isnt inadvertently disclosed.The firm has already trained more than 45,000 employees in the basic principles of AI,with another 15,000 trained in GenAI specifically.Tech Mahindra plans to upsk

110、ill all of its IT staff with AI training by 2025.After training staff on the funda-mentals and establishing sandbox environments to encourage hands-Every person thinks and asks questions differently,so prompt engineering training needs to address both diversity of logic as well as diversity of learn

111、ing stylesAI education:why workers need prompt trainingS K I L L Sbecause they havent received train-ing on the prompt engineering needed to use the platforms.Its clear that companies must focus on training,ensuring their employees use GenAI prompts effec-tively.But perspectives differ on the ideal

112、prompt training programme.For a start,how much time should your firm dedicate to prompt train-ing?A lot,according to Harshul Asnani,president and head of the Europe business at Tech Mahindra,an IT services company.“Its the difference between a good or poor-quality outcome using AI,”Asnani says.GenAI

113、 is trained on large language models(LLMS),so its essential to be able to use language commands to narrow your focus for a particular Firms are optimistic about AI.According to a report from Pega,an enterprise-AI company,nine in 10 businesses plan to increase the use of AI in the next five years.Thr

114、ee in four believe AI can add“transformational value”within the next 10 years,while one in three expect to attribute profit growth to AI in the next three years.But theres a catch:business leaders appear to be confused about the basics of GenAI.That same report asked business decision-makers if they

115、 thought they“had a good understanding of AI and how it worked”.Ninety-three percent of respondents said they did.But two-thirds of those respondents failed to correctly define GenAI,picking the incorrect options from a list littered with dummy descriptions.“In our recent AI survey,we found that 43%

116、of decision-makers said their organisation is using GenAI,”says Peter van der Putten,director of the AI lab at Pega.However,if you include shadow IT,where employees use consumer GenAI tools such as ChatGPT on their own initiative free from company oversight,these percentages“are probably a lot highe

117、r,”he says.Van der Putten emphasises:“Education and training on the use of GenAI in organisations is key,even if GenAI is officially not in place yet in an enterprise.”AI optimism meets organisational confusionbiased,”he says,adding that gener-ally,teams should also avoid shar-ing sensitive informat

118、ion materials with GenAI.Instead,organisations should focus their training on how GenAI is being used by existing tools and systems.Joshua Whle is CEO and co-founder of AI skills platform Mindstone.He thinks most firms would benefit from an outcomes-based approach.In his companys AI training program

119、me,only one of nine hours is spent on prompt en g-ineering,with the rest spent on dis-cussing use cases.“Weve found that once people understand how AI can help them in their day-to-day,the tech stuff just clicks,”Whle says.“Its about making AI relevant to what theyre already doing.”Firms should exam

120、ine where the AI skills gaps are and set clear goals,he advises.They could make learn-ing about AI part of the workday,rather than an extracurricular activ-ity.And,its helpful to mix up the styles of learning sometimes indi-vidual and sometimes in a group.Organisations can monitor the success of thi

121、s outcomes-based approach to training by examining team KPIs.Are sales going up?Are IT teams sorting out issues faster?Views on precisely how to train staff on GenAI may differ,but experts agree that its a worthwhile endeavour to demystify the tooling and ensure staff make the most of the rapidly de

122、veloping technology.Training must address diversity of logic as well as diversity of learning styles to be effectiveProfessor Alan BrownAI director,Digital LeadersMTStock Studio via iStockUPSKILLING FOR AIMost common training methods used by employers to educate workforce on AIOn-the-job learningWor

123、kshops and training programmesCoaching from an experienced professionalOnline courses and certificationsNetworking with AI experts34%,202425%21%18%13%R A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S0908Commercial featureWhat does generative AI(GenAI)excel at?And what tasks are best left to humans?As

124、 digital technology enters the mainstream,more and more businesses are asking these questions.But if they seek answers that focus solely on productivity gains or cost-savings,they risk overlooking GenAIs potential for enhancing human creativity and innovation.The true promise of GenAI lies in its ca

125、pacity to amplify what humans excel at,such as critical thinking,high-level strategising and managing teams while dialling down the repetitive,low-value tasks that impede this vital work.Positioned in this way,digital technol-ogy is far from a threat to peoples jobs.Its actually the key to improving

126、 them.Research from Microsoft found that 84%of professionals say using AI helps them be more creative,while 83%enjoy their work more.“Every function in an organisation has this element of I have to do it because its my job and I want to do it because its my craft,”says Jeff Chow,chief product and te

127、chnology officer at Miro,the Innovation Workspace.“AI is going to unlock much more of the I want to do it because its my craft element,”he adds.The potential for automation extends far beyond its support with routine tasks,serving as a wellspring of crea-tive inspiration.GenAI can offer up a constan

128、t stream of new ideas to help people break through creative blocks.While not every AI-generated idea warrants pursuit,the sheer volume and variety of suggestions can propel a product or project in an innovative new direction,or encourage teams to refocus on the core problem theyre trying to solve.“W

129、hen teams are digging into some-thing very deeply,they can start rab-bit-holing pretty significantly,”says Chow.“Sometimes they lose context,and AI is actually very helpful because its context is really broad.”Becoming an AI-first organisationTo unlock these benefits,businesses need to advance from

130、isolated,stan-dalone genAI experiments to cohesive,people-centric strategies that nurture business-wide ingenuity.Miros journey toward becoming an AI-first organisation shows how this can be achieved.Transparency and a bottom-up approach have played a key In short,maintaining the creative energy beh

131、ind a collaboration is often just as valuable as saving time.Pointing to another example of this playing out in practice,Chow notes Miro AIs ability to rapidly synthesise canvas ideas into a wireframe prototype.“For the designer,it makes it more of a collaborative,cross-functional task.Its a visual

132、collaboration that gets you feedback from customers faster.The classic feedback loop of creating a pro-totype and saying:Does this resonate with you?Does this work?probably takes one or two weeks,whereas here it would take a day or less.”Instead of simply accelerating time to market,teams are using

133、the com-pressed timespan of these feedback loops to carry out more product iter-ations with customers.“They are saying:Were going to lev-erage that time to tweak,refine,tweak,refine,tweak refine,etc.”The level of innovation is increasing.Specialist AI agents(called AI Sidekicks)have also been introd

134、uced to the Miro Platform.They help you deliver your best work by giving feed-back and suggestions on your pres-entation or suggesting next steps from a retrospective.These agents give you a fresh perspective from a product leader,agile coach or from the experts at the Product Marketing Alliance.“Mo

135、st teams arent fully funded:there are competing priorities and other things going on that lead to gaps at the micro level,”says Chow.“So maybe the product leader isnt available,but you can call on an AI agent to weigh in and help you brainstorm.”Its not replacing the human employee,he explains.“But

136、if you didnt have much time with them,or you have to go back to the drawing board after a meeting,it can help to speed up the collaborative process.”For leaders wanting to innovate and thrive,its not about whether AI can do things better than humans,but how it can be adopted to enhance human creativ

137、ity redefining what is possible for their teams.Learn more about how Miro is helping organisations to leverage the power of AI at every stage of their workrole in integrating the technology into existing workflows and habits across numerous functions and departments.For example,the company sends out

138、 a regular newsletter that explores how people are experimenting with AI.Employees are also encouraged to share AI wins on a dedicated Slack channel.“Its about saying this really saved me timebut we also have an AI fails channel,because its really important to keep things light like,hey,heres someth

139、ing I wasnt expecting,”says Chow.This culture of light-heartedly cele-brating failure allows for a more natu-ral and organic adoption of AI tools and techniques.“Were taking a disruptive technology and lowering the threat of fearbecause you have to get it into the critical workflows people are alrea

140、dy collaborating on,”Chow explains.Along with developing its own AI strategy,Miro has embedded AI within its workspace platform.Miro AI can transform ideas on a canvas into instant briefs,summaries and dia-grams,reducing what was previously hours of work down to seconds.Furthermore,it can also be a

141、brain-storming partner,with the ability to break down topics in mind maps with questions or ideas.Crucially,theres no need for tool-switching as all of this happens on one canvas.Now,users can also cluster sticky notes by theme or sentiment with one click.“Little things like that are what we would c

142、all micro wins,and theyre pretty valuable,”says Chow.“Its the first exit ramp on the way towards unlocking more creativity.”Innovating at speedAll of these features are designed to create faster,more collaborative work-flows.Whereas a product manager may previously have needed a week to pro-duce a p

143、roduct brief after a kick-off call,they can now generate one as soon as the call ends.Crucially,this means that feedback can be gathered when the project is still fresh in the stake-holders minds.“We thought customers would say:This is great,were going to have AI gen-erate a product brief and that w

144、ill speed us to the next phase of the project,”says Chow.“But they found that the real value was in the higher quality feedback loops,as they product managers were able to get the brief to the collaborators for review in a day rather than a week.”How artificial intelligence is driving human innovati

145、onIn the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence,visionary leaders are reframing the narrative.The question is no longer whether AI can outperform humans in certain tasks,but how it can be harnessed to elevate human potential and drive innovationBusinesses need to advance from isolated

146、,standalone GenAI experiments to cohesive,people-centric strategiesI N T E R V I E Windustrial revolution to self-service checkouts in supermarkets.This may explain why Infosys CEO Salil Parekh recently denied that any cuts were on the cards owing to GenAI.However,some may struggle to accept that th

147、e technology is only here to help peo-ple be more productive.Many busi-nesses that have been the loudest advocates for GenAI have also blamed it for recent cuts.Despite the scepticism,Tarafdar is confident that GenAI is here to stay.“In my view,the organisations that have taken a strategic approach

148、and built the right foundation using the right platform,the right data,being responsible by design and having the right use cases will deliver value,”he says.“I dont think theres much of an issue for people who have done those things.Where theyve just gone with the hype,then there is an issue.”lands

149、cape.Decision-makers at the firm looked at all tasks and roles and determined what could be automat-ed,what could change with AI and which new skills would be required.The company decided that some in its workforce would be consum-ers of GenAI for instance,a sales rep using the technology to researc

150、h a client or a developer who wants to write code faster.This cohort needs to understand how to make the most effective use of the technolo-gy,to create useful prompts and incorporate GenAI into their work-flows with a critical eye.Others will create with AI:their training focuses on how to code Gen

151、AI products either for Infosys or for its clients.Some roles may be a combination of the two cohorts.The company has adopted a three-tiered approach in its AI transfor-mation.The first stage is to make everyone“AI-aware”.This means ensuring that all employees are familiar with the basics.In the sec-

152、ond stage,“builders”will be trained to create products using GenAI.These employees need to under-stand how to work with AI models or APIs:the type of staff tasked with creating AI assistants for wealth advisors,for example,or AI-enabled customer-service bots.Stage three will focus on AI“mas-ters”.Th

153、ese employees require a much deeper understanding of GenAI.Masters might specialise in safety protecting against prompt injections or prompt hijacking or be subject-matter experts tasked with building training models and scrutinising large sets of data for usefulness and quality.A one-size-fits-all

154、approach would be ineffective.To get around this challenge,Infosys has used its internal training platform,Lex,to create 66 courses on GenAI mapped to each persona.Some courses are designed to help staff become AI-aware,while others are tailored to builders or masters.Whatever you think of the techn

155、ology,“generative AI”are the words on everyones lips.Tech leaders are under pressure from chief executives to deploy the probabilistic prompt-based tool at all costs,while security leaders worry about the implications.For some,GenAI is an intriguing possibility without a compelling use case.For othe

156、rs,such as Rafee Taraf-dar,CTO of Infosys,a global tech-nology services business,this primordial stage in the development of GenAI is exactly the right time to double down on the technology.While market analysts have begun to question the usefulness of GenAI with even early cheerlead-ers such as Gol

157、dman Sachs express-ing scepticism Infosys has decided to upskill its entire global work-force of 340,000 people to prepare to use the technology.“As part of our own AI-first trans-formation,we looked at what was required to have an AI-ready work-force and we recognised that there would be a spectrum

158、 of users and impacts,”Tarafdar explains.“But when we launched our strategy we decided that everybody,irrespec-tive of their seniority,has to be come AI-aware.”To get started,Infosys set out to understand the organisations skills Tamlin MageeTo track the programmes impact,the company collects metric

159、s around daily average users of its AI platforms and the acceptance rate of code created with GenAI.It also encourages employees to flag issues with AI so the trainees become the trainers.For instance,if an employee notices a poorly automated translation or transcrip-tion,they can dispute the offend

160、ing portion and correct it themselves,helping to teach and fine-tune the AI model.“Where there are more fundamen-tal issues,engineers look at feed-back or disputes,”says Tarafdar.“All of this happens digitally so it becomes a process where they improve the dataset.”Employees may baulk at a broad AI

161、system becoming integral to the firms daily operations.Genuinely efficient automation has historical-ly put jobs at risk,from looms in the We decided that everybody has to become AI-awareInfosys,the IT-services giant,is training hundreds of thousands of staff on generative AI.Chief technology office

162、r Rafee Tarafdar outlines the companys approachThe training platform combines different approaches for learning.These include the Socratic method,which prompts users to come to conclusions on their own.The plat-form also adopts simulations and adaptive learning,tailoring educa-tion to the specific r

163、equirements of the individual.Hands-on work-shops or training sessions are also available for leaders,employees and clients.Tarafdar says that as a result 84%of Infosys employees about 270,000 people are now AI-aware.“We have a large number that are builders and masters too,”he adds.“Anybody can use

164、 this platform any time,and thats how weve been rolling out this change across the company.Were midway through right now:AI-awareness is largely done,but theres more work to do for the builders and masters.”Infosys must ensure that staff being trained on AI learn how to check against coding biases i

165、n its applications.Recent legislation such as the EUs AI Act,which declares“discriminatory impacts and unfair biases”in the technology to be unlawful,make compliance an important regulatory matter.To avoid these problems,Infosys weaved its own responsible-AI framework into its training pro-gramme.It

166、 covers explainability so users understand what occurs under the hood,the kinds of data being used and to what end as well as ethical and security considerations.When Infosys began its AI trans-formation,it established an internal“centre of excellence”to promote the safe and responsible use of AI.It

167、 then brought in an external auditor to evaluate its responsible AI pro-cesses,before applying for the ISO 42001 standard a commitment to establishing,implementing,main-taining and continuously improv-ing AI management.Organisations that have built the right foundation will deliver value.Where theyv

168、e just gone with the hype,then there is an issueR A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S11108%8%Tech chiefs and other business leaders insist that the future of work will be marked by close collaboration between humans and AI.However,roughly one-third of workers across the globe still fear t

169、hat AI systems will replace their roles rather than augment their skills.And,an even higher proportion recognise that AI will fundamentally change the way they do their job WILL AI REPLACE US?Share of workers who say it is very or somewhat likely that AI will replace them or change the way they do t

170、heir current job in the next five years,by countryHakkoda,2024SwedenHungary GermanyNetherlandsBelgiumCanadaNew ZealandIrelandUKUSFranceAustraliaSouth KoreaItalyRomaniaSpainArgentinaPolandJapanMexicoAverageChileSingaporeTurkeyColombiaPeruSouth AfricaIndiaBrazilIndonesiaMalaysiaThailand90%70%50%30%10%

171、80%60%40%20%0%Change the way they do their current jobReplace them in their current job Male Female Boomer Gen X Millennial Gen Z Lower income Middle income Upper income Lower education Medium education Upper education Business decision-maker Non business decision-maker By demographicBy demographicA

172、verage36%56%57%35%50%70%80%60%40%30%20%10%10%40%20%50%30%60%70%80%Likely to replace their current job in the next f ve years Not likely to replace their current job in the next f ve years Dont know Likely to change the way they do their current job in the next f ve years Not likely to change the way

173、 they do their current job in the next f ve years Dont knowR A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S1312Commercial featureAI adoption is growing,as is the excitement about the busi-ness benefi ts it can bring.Research from Deloitte found that 91%of organisations expect generative AI to delive

174、r signifi cant productivity gains across their operations.But business leaders also face the challenge of integrating AI effectively,ensuring data security,easing con-cerns about the impact of the tech-nology and future-proofi ng invest-ments.Northern Data Groups chief operating offi cer,Rosanne Kin

175、caid-Smith,discusses how AI and hybrid cloud platforms can improve deci-sion-making and operations,and bring long-term value.How fast is the business world changing and should people be concerned?Things are changing very quickly.Everything is becom-ing focused on AI.You wont speak to anybody who say

176、s you dont need to have an AI strategy,but you wont fi nd very many people who can tell you exactly what that is or what that means.People are taking a broad-brush approach.Ironically,this technology has been around for a very long time.Youve had Siri on your phone for the better part of a decade.Th

177、e idea that this all happened because OpenAI burst out onto the scene is a bit of a fallacy.But there is a shift in the rate of change.Were not really sure what it will and wont do,and what kind of funda-mental impact its going to have.But there is beauty in not knowing because it allows you to shap

178、e things.If its implemented properly,AI gives people tools to do their jobs much better.It helps them stop doing things that waste time and allows for better productivity and more creativity.What do you personally make of it?AI is creating an entirely differ-ent and new environment for everyone to t

179、hrive in and to contribute towards.Businesses are really going to benefi t from that,but they need to start investing in their people.I had a very interesting conver-sation with the executive of a large technology consultancy a couple of weeks ago,and he said:I see AI as the great leveller.I have a

180、slightly differ-ent view on that,but it goes hand-in-hand with my point about augment-ing human abilities.We will be able to close the gaps in capability and well be able to really step up productivity.What steps do leaders need to take to effectively adopt AI infrastructure into their business?Only

181、 certain companies will actually need AI infrastruc-ture.More companies will purchase AI-based tools,which will have been created by others on their AI infrastructure.There are two parts to this.If youre a business that is going to need AI infrastructure,the key thing is to choose your partners wise

182、ly.This technology is power hungry and it requires dedicated space.Your ESG strategy here is key,make sure that your partner is housing the AI infra-structure in the right way and operat-ing it as effectively as possible.The reality is people are currently very price-orientated,so for tech-nology pa

183、rtners theres an account-ability to ensure that were doing things the right way.Thats one part.The second part is,if youre pick-ing a tool,choose the high priority parts of your business that will really deliver productivity,make you more successful or help people in your organisation to be more pro

184、ductive.Be purposeful.What is the opportunity that AI can unlock within a business when it comes to data?The real winners in the crea-tion of AI will be data owners because the right dataset is crucial for good results.All businesses are going to have data,and will be able to optimise,classify and u

185、se that data to unlock new insights.Healthcare is a very good example of this.If youre fi nd-ing novel methods to treat disease,The AI advantage:unlocking long-term value with hybrid transformationQ&AThe momentum behind digital transformation continues to build but how should leaders effectively ado

186、pt AI infrastructure?Northern Data Groups chief operating offi cer,Rosanne Kincaid-Smith,explainsIf you teach people how to use the tools and upskill them,you broaden your environment,and that will create long-term valueyou can process that data at record speeds.Quadrillions of algorithms can run si

187、multaneously,so you will be able to fi nd new insights from that data.But its the collection and the reuse of that data which will ulti-mately differentiate your business.A lot of people are worried about AI stealing data.That is a reality.Everything from deepfakes to people misrepresenting who they

188、 are in the form of identity theft.But there are also adversarial networks that fi ght against that.Why should decision-makers consider a hybrid cloud or AI approach to their strategy?Hybrid gives you options.Theres not really a right or a wrong answer.Its just about your business outcomes and requi

189、rements.As an infrastructure provider,Northern Data Group can advise on the best approach for your business.We can work with you on your proof of con-cept,all run in our secure environment.How do you evaluate if a hybrid transformation strategy has worked?Thats the key question.Investors say:Where a

190、re the returns?However,there is going to be an element of trial and error,and theres going to be a little bit of poetry over science.This harks back to my point on purpose make sure you decide on outcomes before you implement a strategy.If you havent decided what you want to do,you wont be able to d

191、etermine the value.Seeing long-term value comes down to a defi ned purpose and effective implementation,rather than We must have AI at the heart of our strategy or We must have on-premises hardware.Why do you need it?What value do you want it to bring?Because that determines the long term.If you tea

192、ch people how to use the tools and upskill them,you broaden your environment.And that will create long-term value.For more information please visitnortherndata.deLu is an accomplished wom-an.With 32 million com-bined social media followers and yearly earnings tipped to reach$17m(13m),the influencer

193、has been on the cover of Vogue Brazil,appeared in music videos,endorsed multiple name brands and even campaigned against domestic violence.But what really sets Lu apart is that shes not real.She was dreamt up by Fred Trajano,CEO of Brazilian retailer Magalu,in 2003 as a way to bring a human face to

194、the brands online shopping experience through a virtual assistant.Customers soon warmed to her and began spontane-ously asking her questions such as the colour of her lipstick.Lu is now one of the companys greatest assets,according to Aline Izo,Magalus content and social media manager.She appears in

195、 its commercials and on its WhatsApp customer service channel,while her brand partnerships are managed under MagaluAds,the companys advertising division.The firm is also continuing to develop the AI behind her persona to create a complete conversational experience between Lu and cus-tomers and expan

196、d her ability to recommend products.“We tested,learned and this is how Lu built her reputation in Brazil,”says Izo.Lu is part of an exploding virtual influencer industry,the value of which is set to balloon to nearly$46bn by 2030,according to research by Grand View.In the next two years,marketers ar

197、e expected to divert 30%of their influencer budgets to virtual personas,accord-ing to research by Ogilvy.Virtual influencers offer marketing heft without the risks of their human counterparts.However,companies must be careful to avoid customer scepticism and potential security risks Marketing machin

198、es:inside the world of virtual influencersThe AI-generated personalities developed by agencies,tech compa-nies and consumer brands are now commanding followings and fees to rival human influencers and are becoming a hit with marketers and consumers alike.A survey by the Influencer Marketing Hub reve

199、als that more than three in five market-ers have worked with a virtual influ-encer,while 58%of people on social media follow at least one virtual influencer,according to the Influ-encer Marketing Factory.AI-based influencers may have added appeal for marketers.Izo argues that virtual influencers pos

200、e less of a risk than humans in terms of reliability and unpredictable behaviour.Theyre also constantly available and their output can be infinite.“Even though there are people behind the humanisation of the character,Lus actions and behaviours are more controlled,which helps reduce the risk of gen-

201、erating a crisis or being cancelled on social media,”she explains.Virtual influencers can also be better moulded to a brands mes-saging,says Lewis Davey,CEO and co-founder of Pixel Agency,which connects virtual influencers with brands.“A virtual influencer can not only front a campaign for,say,a glo

202、bal home appliance brand,but can also be trained to engage with followers 24/7 with flair and per-sonality,in multiple languages.It can also deliver consistent product messaging at speed,becoming an always on ambassador for that brand,”he says.But underneath the perfect appearance of virtual influen

203、cers lie some significant risks.Using AI to communicate with real humans takes finesse in terms of characteri-sation and storylines and can coun-teract a brands efforts to appear authentic and genuine.Magalu has tried to make a virtue out of Lus lack of humanity.“In her storytelling,she openly ackno

204、wl-edges that she is virtual.Her virtual-ity is a weakness for Lu,as it imposes limits on her.But by embracing this trait and highlighting it in her nar-rative,it becomes a strength and adds a touch of humour,”says Izo.“She plays with this concept in her stories,trying to mimic human reality in vari

205、ous situations and contexts,which has certainly helped build emotional and cogni-tive empathy with the people in her community and with the brand.”This resonates with Hyundai Morocco,which recently created campaigns with Kenza Layli,a vir-tual influencer created by Meriam Bessa of digital agency LAt

206、elier Digital and crowned the worlds first Miss AI.“One of the main challenges is overcoming scepticism about virtu-al influencers.Some audiences may question their authenticity or relata-bility.Compared with human influ-encers,managing the narrative and ensuring relatability can be more complex,as

207、virtual influencers are not tied to personal stories or experi-ences,”acknowledges Saad Bezzate,Hyundai Moroccos brand director.“Another challenge was creating an emotional connection,as virtual influencers can feel more scripted.We had to carefully balance her interactions to maintain authentici-ty

208、 while also ensuring her persona aligned with the lifestyle and aspi-rations of our audience.”Hyundai Moroccos campaign with Kenza Layli generated 10 mil-lion views on Instagram and You-Tube,with an engagement rate of 8%,compared with an average rate of around 5%.But not all brands have experienced

209、such success with virtual influencers.When lifestyle website Sheerluxe introduced Reem,its own virtual influencer,as part of its editorial team in July 2024,the response was far from positive.Sheerluxe fans criticised the brand for replacing a human role with an AI and for giv-ing Reem an ethnic min

210、ority appearance,rather than actually hiring a real person from a cultural-ly diverse background.Reem is still active on Instagram and the move was praised on Linke-dIn by Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett for being bold and uncon-ventional.But the experience taught the Sheerluxe team some lessons

211、 in launching a virtual influencer.“We chose to bring the fictional Reem character to life by announc-ing her as a new team member.With some major companies now saying AI is enabling them to reduce their workforce,its com-pletely understandable that job security is front of mind when new AI initiati

212、ves are announced,”says Sheerluxes editor-in-chief,Georgie Coleridge Cole.“We should have made it clearer from the start that,as an AI-generat-ed image,Reem cannot write arti-cles or fill any job role on our team,which will never be replaced by AI.”But the biggest concern around using virtual influe

213、ncers may be security and privacy,warns Oli Buckley,professor in cybersecurity at Loughborough University.“Virtu-al influencers rely on complex tech-nologies and large data sets,making them vulnerable to data breaches that could expose sensitive con-sumer information,”he says.“If these systems were

214、to be com-promised then they could be manip-ulated to spread misinformation,promote fraudulent products or engage in phishing scams,which are damaging to both brand reputa-tion and consumer trust.”Academics at the University of Portsmouth and Audencia Business School recommend the integration of dig

215、ital and marketing teams and the introduction of joint,proactive data security management systems to harness virtual influencers.Magalu,for example,has set up a dedicated AI department which continues to develop the technology behind Lu.It has also created a structure for connecting the rele-vant te

216、ams and partners that are responsible for her activity and keeping her audiences safe.“Companies must be willing to invest in dedicated teams and part-ners for the conception of a brand character or avatar.We must remem-ber that its not just about creation:sustaining it is even more complex than the

217、 creation itself,”says Izo.“The daily challenges are signifi-cant and complex,but its possible to have a positive impact on the rela-tionship between the brand,its cus-tomers and communities.”Its not just about creation:sustaining it is even more complex than the creation itselfMaryLou CostaM A R K

218、E T I N GThe Influencer Marketing Factory,2024OptimisticPositiveNeutralCriticalSceptical32%30%13%28%20%MIXED VIEWS ON VIRTUAL INFLUENCERS Consumers perception of brands that partner with virtual influencersLu,Magalus famed virtual influencer,models some of the brands productsMagaluR A C O N T E U R.

219、N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S1514The role of the modern-day CEO is evolving.It is no longer enough to focus solely on profit,revenue or share price.Leaders must balance financial performance with employee wellbeing and ESG concerns,finding ways to innovate and grow at a time of deep uncertainty and

220、 turmoil.Across five categories,we hope that by shining a spotlight on the best business leaders,we can offer insights into what it takes to lead from the top and inspire the CEOs of the future.Meet the 50 CEOs changing British business.Recognising those who of companies have big ambitions for Gener

221、ative AI.Fewer have managed to turn their plans into reality.Google Cloud research published in August found that 47%of 2,508 firms with revenue above$10m(7.7m)had taken GenAI from idea to rollout within six months,while 34%achieved this aim within three months.More than half of those surveyed repor

222、ted at least a 6%to 10%rise in annual revenue.The problem is that a number of companies are stuck in what Google Cloud calls“pilot purgatory”.The research found that 38%of the UK-based respondents admitted that they are yet to implement GenAI in production,indicating that theyre struggling to scale

223、up the deployment.The report argues that firms strug-gling to scale up the use of AI sys-tems should focus on aligning AI strategies with business outcomes if theyre to avoid pilot purgatory.But what does this mean in practice?Dell Technologies launched its Dell AI Factory earlier this year,a collab

224、oration with Nvidia,the AI chipmaker to help businesses inte-grate GenAI applications into their operations.“Aligning GenAI strategies with business goals means moving beyond a fascination with hype and toward a deeper understanding of how the technology can enhance the business,”says Steve Young,UK

225、 senior vice president and managing director at Dell Technologies.Or take Expedia.In the summer of 2024,the travel tech firm launched an AI assistant,Romie,on EG Labs,where users can test and play with experimental products.While Romie is in the first stage of testing,the company is already learning

226、 from users feedback on how Romies features,including AI search,can be integrated into its product offering,says Shiyi Pick-rell,Expedias senior vice-president of data and AI.To successfully scale up a GenAI project,leaders must“build a strong test-and-learn culture”,he says.For firms to know exactl

227、y what they want from GenAI,full support and buy-in from all C-suite execu-tives is required.Despite the buzz GenAI has created over the past couple of years,theres still plenty of hesitation around its adoption,whether thats because leaders are stuck in their old school ways of thinking or theyre c

228、oncerned about the return on investment.The key to winning over reluctant C-level executives is to show them how GenAI can solve real business challenges,argues Kristof Symons,CEO international at Orange Busi-ness.In March 2024,the company launched two GenAI products for French enterprise customers.

229、“When leaders back AI,it sends a strong signal:this is important and were all in this together,”he says.Paul Cardno,global digital auto-mation and innovation senior man-ager at 3M,thinks GenAI must be“positioned as a strategic invest-ment”.He recommends demon-strating its value by highlighting how c

230、ompetitors have used the technology to improve productivity and deliver efficiencies and cost reductions.3M is“prioritising GenAI projects that are helping individuals to do their jobs,like content creation and process auto-mation,as these directly support our core objectives”,adds Cardno.The C-suit

231、e must also be willing to tolerate failure.Young says some executives can be“paralysed by indecision”when it comes to invest-ing in GenAI because of the poten-tial for a project to fail.However,he points out:“Investing in a project that fails could be damaging,but failing to act quickly enough could

232、 be more so.”In their haste to deploy GenAI,firms often rush the rollout and overlook data quality and manage-ment.This inevitably leads to some pilot projects failing to take off.“Data quality is king,”says Symons.To perform reliably,GenAI algorithms require accurate and rel-evant data.It is theref

233、ore essential to compile a team thats equipped with skills and knowledge in AI,machine learning and data science.Without the right expertise,firms will likely struggle to develop their initiatives successfully.Algorithms can pose data privacy and security concerns,which could result in legal consequ

234、ences if things go awry.Organisations must ensure they have a robust risk-mitigation strategy to ensure GenAI solutions comply with reg-ulations and can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems without causing a legal headache.Rich McEachranAligning GenAI strategies with business goals means m

235、oving beyond a fascination with hype and towards a deeper understanding of how the technology can enhance the businessGoogle Cloud has found that two in five UK firms are stuck in GenAI pilot purgatory.Heres how they can go from idea to scaleFrom idea to reality:how to scale up a GenAI projectA I I

236、N T E G R AT I O NMOST AI PROJECTS ARE UP AND RUNNING WITHIN SIX MONTHSAverage time required to take an AI project from ideation to deployment,among organisations with AI tools in productionFive steps to GenAI successFirms often hope GenAI tools will create an immediate return on investment,which ca

237、n lead to projects being abandoned.Heres how to avoid pilot purgatory and take a project from idea to implementation.Develop a clear understanding of your goalsYou need to know exactly what you want to achieve by implementing GenAI.Jumping on the hype train without clear and precise targets can be c

238、ostly.Convince reluctant C-suite executivesConcerns about the cost of GenAI and the ROI can hold back adoption.You need to show hesitant leaders the tangible value that GenAI can bring to the business.Highlight how competitors have gained from implementing the technology.Dont forget the dataSound da

239、ta and robust data management are essential to successful GenAI implementation.Ensure you build a team of engineers and data scientists with the skills and knowledge to help scale up a pilot project.Support staff through trainingAll employees must feel confident that GenAI is not going to take their

240、 jobs.Training and education opportunities can empower them to understand GenAIs benefits and functionalities,as well as boosting their competence in using the technology.Build a test-and-learn cultureAs with any experimental technology,there are risks associated with GenAI.You must be willing to ex

241、periment and accept failure.Establishing a continuous learning culture helps companies adapt and respond to business and technological challenges.Cardno stresses the need for all those involved in a GenAI project from the engineering team to the legal affairs department to pull in the same direction

242、.This requires leaders to establish a culture of trust,not just in the GenAI solution thats being built but in each other as well,he says.If a GenAI tool is to be deployed successfully,all employees,not just engineers and data scientists,must believe in it.As Symons puts it,leaders need to“demystify

243、 GenAI and show it as a tool for everyone”.This means ensuring the technol-ogy isnt just for a select few,he says.“Democratise it.If only certain employees get access,others might feel left behind,which can create further resistance.There must be AI equity within the business,because without it you

244、risk a disparity that may see some employees get ahead of those that dont have access.”Both Symons and Young empha-sise the need for education and training to support those who arent confident in using GenAI.By empowering employees and arming them with knowledge,theyll gain a better understanding of

245、 the benefits the technology can bring to the workplace.This will likely help pilot projects be more successful,but there may still be some pushback.“Its important to acknowledge that there may be some short-term trade-offs for long-term gains,”says Pickrell.“There are no quick wins with GenAI.It re

246、quires large quan-tities of high-quality data and a highly skilled team.It must be viewed as an essential part of the business infrastructure.”Its important to acknowledge that there may be short-term trade-offs for long-term gains.There are no quick wins with GenAILess than one monthOne to three mo

247、nthsThree to six monthsMore than six months34%3%47%15%Google Cloud,2024ATHVisions via iStockR A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S1716Commercial featureThe difference between a happy customer and a dis-gruntled one is often how quickly and effectively their queries are answered.If they end

248、 up stuck on hold or waiting for an agent to respond on live chat,they may decide to take their business else-where.Considering that most customer questions have a simple answer,this is an unfortunate and entirely avoida-ble loss for the company.Indeed,that simple answer is probably part of the comp

249、anys knowledge base.But todays busy consumers rarely have the time or inclination to trawl through FAQ sec-tions or other brand documents.They are,however,increasingly happy to interact with an AI chatbot,which can draw upon a companys knowledge base and provide instant answers to their queries.Acco

250、rding to research by Servicenow,66%of UK consumers would use chatbots for an element of customer service.“AIs current capabilities are focused on digital deflection,and for self-ser-vice and providing customers quick answers its an effective tool,”says Dan OConnell,CEO of the customer service platfo

251、rm Front.“But there are agents,”says OConnell.“Or if your chat visitor URL ends in/pricing,then you can direct visitors to a sales-oriented chatbot path.Similarly,if the chat vis-itor URL ends in/troubleshooting,then you can direct visitors to a sup-port-oriented chatbot path”.How to design a seamle

252、ss customer experienceA seamless experience can make all the difference to customer satisfac-tion.The less effort and energy a cus-tomer has to put into getting answers,the more likely they are to stay loyal to the company.Building visitor data into the chatbot flow means that the chatbot only needs

253、 to request essential information.When a hand-off occurs due to a complex query,teams have instant access to all the details and context already gath-ered from the AIs interaction with the customer,helping to minimise repeti-tion and ensure a speedy resolution.Automatically tagging messages by topic

254、 or sentiment can give agents quick context on the cus-tomers query,ensuring it reaches the right person as fast as possible.“Establishing seamless handoffs for issue escalation will deliver a consist-ent experience for customers,regard-less of the team member they interact with,”says OConnell.“Proa

255、ctive service measures,like auto-assigning queries to available team members when someone is out,utilising snooze functions for when the teammate returns,and leveraging AI summarisation to quickly bring team members up to speed can also help to improve a common pain point in the customer journey.”AI

256、 can provide accurate,automated summaries of a customers past con-versations and relationship with the organisation to date,for example,so agents dont have to trawl through endless back-and-forth threads and can reclaim their time.If a question is particularly tricky,AI can show how a similar questi

257、on was successfully resolved for another cus-tomer,allowing organisations to make real-time improvements to service and responses.AI can even draw on the organisations knowledge base to serve up draft replies to customer emails and messages.All of these capabilities help to free up agents time so th

258、ey can focus on more complex issues,and deliver exceptional service with a high degree of empathy.But to fully unlock AIs poten-tial,customer conversations must be accessible from one platform,rather than siloed away in sepa-rate tools.This not only enables the collaborative ways of working that go

259、hand-in-hand with exceptional customer service;its essential for accessing insights and analytics that span the entire customer experience.Another important thing to note is that the customer experiences pow-ered by AI will only be as good as the data sources it learns from.“A help centre has long b

260、een a support teams number-one source of truth,but its importance is only growing in the age of AI,”says OConnell.“For AI to pro-vide your customers accurate answers,knowledge management needs to be a top priority.”Creating a customer-first support modelAI-powered customer experiences are ultimately

261、 part of a broader shift toward more customer-centric busi-ness models.“Leading businesses are transitioning from a model where the frontline team is solely responsible for customer experience to one where the entire company collaborates based on insights gained directly from custom-ers,”OConnell ex

262、plains.Through detailed analysis of resolu-tion rates and unresolved questions,for instance,businesses can identify areas for improvement.Monitoring response times and resolution speed at scale can also help to improve per-formance over time.By identifying patterns in historical data,AI can even hel

263、p to identify emerg-ing trends and predict future outcomes,such as customer churn risk.“All of the answers to your most critical business decisions lie within the conversations your support and sales orgs have with customers,”says OConnell.Front keeps these customers at the centre of every interacti

264、on by aggre-gating all conversations in a single view.“Teams work together,sharing con-text and understanding,so they can address customer challenges swiftly and at scale,”says OConnell.“And every conversation sparks insights that create clarity and focus,and help teams better meet and anticipate cu

265、s-tomer needs.”He adds:“So much of the work that service teams do,such as escalations and handoffs,are moments of collab-oration,and moments that if done well also address your customers expectations around speed and quality of service.”Despite the obvious benefits that AI and collaboration can brin

266、g to cus-tomer service,the most important thing is that customers can always access clear and accurate support,with minimal effort,whenever they need it.“Its that reliability,the end result,that builds trust,”says OConnell.And while AI is undoubtedly changing the industry,theres one thing it wont ch

267、ange:“Businesses that obsess over their customers and put the customer experience above all else,are the ones that will win.”For more information please visit limits to this experience.The ability of AI to solve complex workflows is chal-lenging due to the lack of reasoning,the need for integrated s

268、ystems,and the understanding of training data needed to automate complex workflows”.This means that businesses cant solely rely on AI to handle their full customer support queue.“Those lim-itations lead to escalations in the form of emails,SMS,DMs on social media,or calls all of which require the hu

269、man touch of your support team,”says OConnell.Despite their limitations,modern AI chatbots can be smart enough to mimic brand identity,values and voice,ensuring a consistent customer experience across multiple channels and touchpoints.They can even tailor chats by drawing upon a customers CRM data,l

270、anguage,location or other conversation data,creating a unique and personalised experience.Front,for instance,uses“dynamic variables”which branch chatbot flows based on chat visitor attributes,and personalise chatbot message content.“For example,if the chatbot senses the visitors browser language is

271、French,you can route them to French-speaking The digital loyalty loop:how AI can transform customer experienceHow can companies harness the power of AI to truly transform the customer experience,ensuring personalisation and empathy while businesses grow?For AI to provide your customers accurate answ

272、ers,knowledge management needs to be a top priorityArtificial intelligence prom-ises to unlock a new era of business efficiency,bring-ing obvious productivity gains for employers.However,there are signs the technology could also benefit employees and even lay the foun-dations for a four-day working

273、week.Already,AI has boosted perfor-mance in sectors such as software development,marketing and legal services,among others.Recent studies suggest that AI could enable businesses to maintain productivi-ty while reducing employee hours from 40 to 32 hours per week.For companies,this means doing more w

274、ith less less time,fewer resources and potentially lower operational costs.Could the produc-tivity gains also make the heralded four-day week a workplace reality?“The issue is complex because not all jobs or sectors are created equal,”says Geoffrey Hamlyn,chief operat-ing officer(COO)of Trepwise,who

275、se four-day week benefit has contribut-ed to the firms Best Places to Work designation for the past seven years.“A manual labourer working on an hourly basis is much less able to adapt to a shorter work week than an AI-driven business efficiencies could soon make the four-day work week a reality.How

276、 can companies use the technology to maintain productivity while reducing employee hours and costs?Is AI the key to the four-day work week?accountant or a marketing director,for instance.Similarly,a law firm that bills on an hourly basis has very little incentive to reduce expecta-tions for its team

277、 members.”For many companies,however,the downsides of a shortened work week are considerably less daunting and there are tangible upsides.Numerous studies have shown that employee morale,retention and productivity are positively correlat-ed with the four-day work week.Of the businesses that have ado

278、pted a four-day week,29%cite AI as a key factor in the transition.AI is increasingly seen as a way to enable a four-day work week without sacrificing productivity.AI can improve worker output by an aver-age of 14%according to a 2023 study by MIT and Stanford,while research from Goldman Sachs suggest

279、s that AI could automate up to 25%of tasks currently performed by employees.These gains allow businesses to rethink traditional work structures.Rosi Bremec,COO of Game Lounge,an affiliate marketing com-pany in the iGaming industry,suc-cessfully implemented a four-day work week this summer and says A

280、I was the key to being able to auto-mate certain tasks.“The goal is not to replace people with AI,but to work smarter,”she says.“Were being cautious about using AI for content creation,especially because were focused on organic SEO.How-ever,were looking into automating other tasks like taking meetin

281、g min-utes and creating reports.AI is also used for learning and development,backlog grooming and prioritising tasks for the week.”AIs potential to transform the workplace extends beyond produc-tivity.It can also enhance collabo-ration and information sharing.AI tools enable employees to find rele-v

282、ant documents quickly,cutting down on time spent searching for information.They can also opti-mise team formation by pairing individuals with complementary skills,ensuring that remote teams work together more efficiently.A 2023 report by think tank Au t-onomy underscores the transforma-tive potentia

283、l of AI.According to its findings,AI could reduce working hours by at least 10%for nearly nine in 10 UK workers over the next dec-ade.The study also suggests that up to 28%of employees could transi-tion to a 32-hour work week by 2033,without losing pay.This shift,experts argue,presents an opportu-ni

284、ty for policymakers and busin-esses to rethink how AI can be harnessed for the benefit of work-ers,not just employers.AI holds great potential to stream-line tasks,but there is still concern that the financial gains may benefit shareholders more than workers.According to Goldman Sachs,AI could disru

285、pt 300 million jobs worldwide.Meanwhile,Harvard Law School highlights the need for protections to prevent worker exploitation in an AI-driven econo-my.The Harvard reports recom-mendations include AI monitoring in workplaces,establishing safety standards and ensuring transparen-cy around the technolo

286、gies in use.“Just as Hippocrates implores physicians to first,do not harm,so too must employers carefully miti-gate risks when implementing sig-nificant changes to technology or workflow,”says Hamlyn.In the future,AI will reduce the need for human resources,he notes.This reality is already playing o

287、ut on fac-tory floors,in call centres and in software companies worldwide.As the power of AI grows,so will the risks to human capital.“The inevitable march toward automation will require laws and regulations to ensure fairness,”Hamlyn says.“However,in the absence of policies that dictate how busines

288、ses must operate,employers will be required to make difficult decisions that balance the wellbe-ing of their workforce with the potential for profits.”The right approach could boost productivity without reducing the need for human employees.As employers gain from AI-driven effi-ciencies,they face a

289、choice:share those gains with workers or focus solely on cutting costs.For Game Lounges staff,the chal-lenge was how to fit five days of work into four.“Some employees were initially worried about how they could manage everything in just four days,especially since their schedules were already packed

290、,”Bremec says.“I even got pushback from some directors.But once we adjusted,they managed well.”The trick for Bremec was better planning.“One of the first changes I made was cutting meeting times from an hour to 25 minutes,leaving time for preparation and a buffer if needed,”she explains.And by inte-

291、grating AI into task-tracking sys-tems to monitor workload trends,the company enabled better man-agement of seasonal fluctuations and workflow shifts.Still,there are limitations to how AI can be implemented in the work-place.Not every role offers eight hours of work that can be easily automated.For

292、AI to reduce work hours,tasks need to be routine and repetitive,which is not the case for many senior or creative roles.In an ideal world,an AI application that removes an hour of mindless work enables employees to focus on higher-level tasks,boosting their efficiency and effectiveness,says Hamlyn.Y

293、ou dont need to automate a full eight hours to save eight hours of work.“Mindless tasks drain pro-ductivity,”he says.“Automate those,assign more meaningful work and youll see employees thrive while saving time overall.”The inevitable march toward automation will require laws and regulations to ensur

294、e fairnessNatasha Khullar RelphW O R K P L A C ETech.co,2024AI USE IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITH WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER A FOUR-DAY WORK WEEKCompanies willingness to consider a four-day work week,by the current use of AI tools in the organisationWould considerNo use at allUse to a limited extentModera

295、te useExtensive useFull useNot sureWould not consider41%59%71%93%90%38%24%19%10%21%17%10%7%Andrija Nikolic via iStockR A C O N T E U R.N E TA I F O R B U S I N E S S1918Top takeaways to reduce employees AI concerns Be transparent and communicate the goals and benefits of AI initiatives,ensuring empl

296、oyees understand how AI will be used.Avoid technical jargon.AI is new to everyone,so make sure you use language that employees understand.Involve employees in the AI-implementation process to foster a sense of impact and belonging.Develop and implement clear guidelines and policies for the use of AI

297、.Provide ongoing training and development to help staff adapt to new AI technologies.Offer career counselling services to help employees understand how AI may impact their roles and identify future opportunities.Commercial featureA challenge for any IT team is to ensure the technology youre buying i

298、nto the organisation can handle everything the modern workforce demands-both now and in the future.Hardware that can support the rapid rise in applications that make use of AI and ML features is essential.Intels Core Ultra processors can run over 500 different AI models,giving teams the flexibility

299、to pull in the particular model they need,without creating Hardware that fully supports the new AI ecosystemextra work to integrate something new and untested.Bradley Jenkins,Intels EMEA AI PC lead at Intel,points to the benefits of hardware thats optimised for such a range of functionality:“Busines

300、ses need both a rich selection of applica-tions to choose from and to provide a good experience using them.Were making it easier for software develop-ers to take advantage of our AI com-pute engines at scale”.With Intel Core Ultra,the age of accessible AI-powered PCs has arrived.Learn how Intel can

301、help enhance IT productivity,cybersecurity and device management for todays workforceFive ways Intels AI-powered solutions can revolutionise the IT workforce1542Cybersecurity threats are an unfortu-nate fact of life for any organisation.It feels like barely a week goes by without a new cyberattack h

302、itting the head-lines.For a business IT department,that can introduce major day-to-day overheads in terms of managing hard-ware and software to keep it secure,as well as lost time to dealing with inci-dents if and when security is breached.Intel Core Ultra processors that sup-port Intel vPro provide

303、 a more secure baseline for modern computing.AI can reduce the burden on IT depart-ments,helping to detect deep fakes and phishing attempts as well as mal-ware and ransomware.Intels Threat Detection Technology(Intel TDT)uses algorithms powered with decades worth of telemetry data(the data automatica

304、lly collected from remote sources for analysis)to detect threats faster.In tests it identified over 97%of known and unknown attacks,and organisations using Intel saw a 26%lower risk of major security events.IT teams responsible for device security saw 17%efficiency gains.Improved hardware-based secu

305、rity with AI PCsManaging disparate hardware and soft-ware across geographically-dispersed organisations is a challenge,but Intel technology introduces a variety of solutions.Whereas a blue screen of death style hardware crash might once have required a support engineer to physically get to the devic

306、e to diag-nose the issue,Intel vPro allows remote support at a level beneath the operat-ing system.So,even complex techni-cal issues can be resolved quickly,as if the entire business was still based in a single office.AI-powered security that takes advantage of Intel AI compute engines can also come

307、 into play in terms of the security and privacy challenges of Multitasking is hardly a new concept in computing,but todays users are asking more from their computers than they may realise.It is now taken for granted that many modern work-ers will spend a significant chunk of A key advantage of the N

308、PU in the new Intel architecture is that it uses far less energy than a CPU would for the same tasks.Combined with the huge efficiency improvements in the latest Intel Core Ultra processors that reduce power consumption by as much as 40%,this means that laptops with this technology can run on batter

309、y for as long as 20 hours.Not only does this improve what IT departments can offer their users,but reduced energy con-sumption can drive both cost savings and help to meet sustainability goals for the business as a whole.Tech that supports such a wide range of emergent,AI-powered features as the wor

310、kforce demands them,also has the added benefit of extending the device lifecycle.As Jenkins adds:“Its more important than ever for business IT to consider the impact of AI within software:making the wrong decision could be costly,shortening device life cycles and increasing hardware costs.“A few yea

311、rs ago,AI was barely on the radar for most organisations.Now,every aspect of a business is conscious of its impact.For IT leaders,as new Easier device fleet management in an increasingly remote worldComputing without compromiseLong-term,long-time computingsupporting users remotely.For exam-ple,enabl

312、ing communication software that allows the user to get the help they need without sharing identifiable information,enabling better support in situations where it may previously have been limited by GDPR and other privacy regulations.their days in online meetings on Zoom,Teams,or similar tools.More c

313、ommonly,that software now has built in AI and machine learning features-from noise cancellation and background blurring to automatic eye gaze correction.During online meet-ings users are also switching between productivity apps and office soft-ware that are increasingly integrating their own AI feat

314、ures,not to mention the apps in the background allowing access to corporate VPNs.In a traditional PC,demand on the CPU quickly ramps up,whereas an Intel AI PC processes these workloads across the CPU,GPU and NPU(the Neural Processing Unit,dedicated to AI tasks).This can give a 58%faster AI perfor-ma

315、nce than traditional processing archi-tecture,and means that IT departments can give their organisations workforce the power to use the tools they need,when they need them-even as those tools rapidly evolve to integrate new fea-tures unlocked by todays technology.technology like Intel Core Ultra com

316、es along with new possibilities,they must ensure their teams are empowered by the latest tech capabilities.To find out more,please visit intel.co.uk/AIPC3Its important for people to understand were investing in their future,as well as the future of the companyAI promises exciting opportunities for b

317、usinesses,but many employees fear the impact on their jobs and wellbeing.How can firms allay their concerns?Continuous upskilling and educa-tion help workers feel less unsure about AI,adds Soomro.“Its basic human psychology:if youve been doing a job for 10 or 20 years and you see this rapid pace of

318、change like weve seen in AI,youll wonder if youre fit for the future or will be able to do your job well enough,”he says.But its not just about setting up a few online training courses,Schi l l ig adds.He recommends regular company-wide meetings,anony-mous surveys and one-to-one dis-cussions to unde

319、rstand what issues are concerning employees and how they can be addressed.“That said,words arent enough.Employees need to see and feel that theyre sup-ported,”he says.“Invest in training and development programmes to equip people with the skills required to work with AI,along with ongoing career cou

320、nselling.”Such fears are caused in part by the rapid pace of change in AI tech-nologies,says Mansoor Soomro,a lecturer in the Future of Work unit at Teesside University Business School.“Many people only saw ChatGPT at the start of this year and were now talking about AI making music,videos,even pod-

321、casts based on text source materi-al,”he says.“Its hardly surprising that people wonder if theyre fit for the future and what the impact of this rapid change will be on their ability to do their job.”At Grey London,a creative agency and part of the WPP advertising group,conversations about AI are a

322、Aheres a rising tide of evi-dence that the arrival of AI in the workplace makes employees anxious.Its not just the fear that well be replaced by AI tools new research has found that employees are also concerned about the impact of AI on work/life bal-ance and the risk of burnout.A survey from Resume

323、Now found that 63%of workers admit feeling worried about AI and nearly half of women(49%)believe it could nega-tively impact their work/life bal-ance.While 78%of respondents are positive about using AI in the work-place,87%of younger workers think they might face AI-related burnout.Sally Whittlelogi

324、cal advances like personal com-puters and robotics,”he says.“The reality is that new technologies cre-ate new jobs and even industries,providing employees are adaptable and willing to learn.”When employees are worried about AIs impact on their jobs,it can impact their psychological safe-ty,says Schi

325、llig.“This results in lower productivity and perfor-mance and potentially anxiety and burnout,”he says.“HR teams need to support businesses and employ-ees to maintain a healthy level of psychological safety during times of rapid and significant change.”How can firms allay employees fears when even d

326、ecision-makers are in the early stages of under-standing AI?“Its not easy if you arent in a position yet to have an AI strategy,but you can start to devel-op things like ethical AI policies and simple red,amber,green tools that indicate which tools people can use safely or not,”says Soomro.Grey Lond

327、on has created a set of AI guidelines for employees who are using tools in their jobs,Tattersfield explains,along with online educa-tion programmes that help people to learn the basics about AI technol-ogy.“Like any new technology,if you exclude employees from the process,theyre going to be resist-a

328、nt and potentially undermine or sabotage the benefits that youre trying to achieve,”she says.“Its critical to involve people as early as possible in our AI journey,to under-stand how it can help them.”Swag Drop makes branded mer-chandise for corporate clients;the company uses AI in several parts of

329、its business,including supply chain management.“We have a nifty AI system that crunches data to pre-dict demand and optimise our inventory,”says Anna Petosa,Swag Drops people operations executive.“Our procurement folks have more time to focus on building relation-ships and negotiating deals.It makes

330、 their roles more rewarding.”Communicating these benefits to the workforce is an essential part of the companys AI strategy,says Petosa.Swag Drop holds regular town hall events where people can ask questions to experts about the introduction of the technology.Petosa describes a recent meeting where

331、a customer-service represent-ative asked whether AI chatbots would make her role redundant.“We were able to explain that AI would free up time for her team to focus on more complex,human-centric aspects of customer service.That person left the meeting feeling excited about the possibilities,”says Pe

332、tosa.“Thats the shift in perspec-tive were aiming for.”Alongside open communication,Swag Drop has focused on educa-tion and reskilling.“AI is trans-forming peoples roles.We want our team to feel empowered rather than threatened,”says Petosa.The com-pany has introduced training ses-sions and workshop

333、s that show how AI can be an ally rather than an adversary and help people to gain the skills theyll need to adapt.“Its important for people to understand were investing in their future,as well as the future of Swag Drop.”AI anxiety:how firms can ease employee fearsdaily occurrence,even if the tech-nology isnt officially being used within the company today,says Karan Tattersfield,the companys Euro