Many are calling artificial intelligence (AI) technologies’ relatively recent boom software’s second coming. Yet, despite major developments since the AI winter of the late 21st century, AI technologies are still struggling to break into business processes. Here are a few reasons why artificial intelligence should be adopted into the workplace.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) may seem a daunting prospect on the surface. In truth, however, this rapidly developing technology presents a wealth of opportunities for businesses looking to upskill their workforce and transform the user experience.One of the latest examples from the B2B world comes in the form of Salesforce’s spring release dubbed Einstein for its ability to build data models automatically.AI systems aren’t the thing of dark science fiction depiction, here to create havoc and ensure robotic domination. Instead, the reality is that the rise of AI will usher in a new age of human and robotic collaboration and, most importantly, the intuitiveness sought by consumers – a more automated version of business intelligence.In this age where AI is deemed to be important for the UK economy – so much so that the UK government will invest £20 million in robotics and AI – the technology will soon serve as an extension to the consumer-grade technology that already exists in the workplace.

Virtual assistance

Imagine the logistics behind a major international airline like Emirates. They’re interacting with literally hundreds of thousands of people every day – across social media and the real time market. Sheer volume makes customer relationship management critical to their business model.

And that’s where artificial intelligence can step in. Chatbots and intelligent systems can be Emirates’ always on connection to their markets. Should a customer’s flight be delayed, there can be systems in place that connect with said customer, keeping them updated on schedules, and referring them to new information as it happens, with personalized notifications. Chatbots can respond to customer queries, regardless of what time it is. This can only have a positive impact on the overall brand momentum.

Related: 3 reasons for businesses to adopt chatbots for CRM

Generating business and market insights

Data can be considered ‘the new oil’, as it’s the raw material of the digital economy. But much like oil remains useless without specialized machinery to extract and process it, so data remains useless, trapped in vast cloud databases. Artificial intelligence can help businesses mine for the unique ‘gems’ found in these databases, processing billions of data points in a matter of minutes. And the best part is that AI isn’t static. It learns and adapts. These insights can be fed back to the business to better its processes.

Systems automation

Since the industrial revolution, the rise of technology has gone hand in hand with the automation of work. From tractors, to automated hotel bookings and advanced robots working in manufacturing factories, the theme remains constant. As far as the introduction of artificial intelligence is concerned, the only difference is where it works. There’s a growing trend towards the automation of routine work. Artificial intelligence is quickly automating routine processes, the same way industrial era machines automated physical labor. Not only are these technologies extremely capable, they also don’t require coffee, lunch or smoke breaks.

Every business manager, entrepreneur, and business decision maker should look into the benefits that artificial intelligence can offer them in their commercial endeavors. Be sure to read our blog post on how AI creates business solutions.

Clickatell Touch

Clickatell has harnessed the power of artificial intelligence chatbots to create Clickatell Touch – the next evolution chat-based solution for business to consumer communications.

Clickatell Touch combines online chat and bot-driven interactions (including the benefits of machine learning), with workflow automation, through its proprietary Touch-card technology. Read more about Clickatell Touch or watch this video to see it in action.

As technologies continue to develop, the bandwagon is only going to get faster and more streamlined. Best you jump on soonest.

 

Business applications like Salesforce, G Suite and WorkDay have not replaced humans, instead they’ve helped free up valuable time for workers to become more creative and focus on innovative and higher value activities.

AI will continue this trend and allow workers to focus on the processes which benefit them and their customers most on a day-to-day basis.

Embrace the innovative

Embracing this new technology, rather than rebelling against it, will be crucial. The rise of robotics presents the perfect opportunity to upskill the workforce, providing workers with the freedom to upgrade their skill set, because robotics take the strain on those tasks which were once restrictive, mundane or time consuming.

For industries such as manufacturing, robotic technology has been responsible for transforming simple yet time-consuming processes that have taken up valuable resources. Not only is the technology able to provide more consistent and reliable outcomes, it is now evolving through the integration of big data and AI into agile machines. Robotics are now capable of constantly improving and innovating to ensure that this sector is able to grow and thrive.

As organisations become more productive, more time and money can be invested in engaging with the workforce. This in turn creates a strong company culture and keeps retention rates high as workers have more time for themselves – to learn new things as well as counter long hours that prove unproductive.

What this ultimately means is that a better worker experience creates a better customer experience. The two are intrinsically linked. Happy workers mean happy customers. Digital transformation and the prospect of robotics will continue to have a role in creating this virtuous cycle.

A transformative workplace

With IDC predicting that 1 trillion networked devices will be hooked up worldwide by 2025, the rise of AI will also have significant benefits on the way businesses operate their workspaces. Soon every business will be able to suggest efficiency savings, adjust lighting, temperature and acoustics in meeting rooms based on occupancy and agendas, and even alert workers when toilet cubicles are vacant! This will lead to the redesign of the office as we know it.

Such a redevelopment to the way we work will ensure that office spaces align much more closely with employee working habits, helping to boost engagement, collaboration and wellbeing. Real-time information will also help businesses deliver the worker experience that best suits each individual need.

Trends such as flexible working or reduced office hours shouldn’t be approached with a one-size-fits-all approach, rather the rise of AI will help to make each employee happier, more relaxed and ultimately more productive. This will have significant benefits for every business.

The key to succeeding with technology is not to be seduced by the technology per se. No technology offers a silver bullet. Rather, companies should focus on the required customer and worker outcomes, and understand their core capability needs (or pain points) in driving these outcomes. This will help to leverage the substantial benefits of the transformative workplace and to steer clear of the pitfalls.