Artificial intelligence (AI) is all around us, and it’s here to stay. It appears in search engines, digital assistants, self-driving cars, and smart home devices. AI is now ingrained into everyday life, including the workplace. Organizations are increasingly turning to AI for a range of functions. These include decision-making, content creation, data analysis, and workforce training. Across the globe:
- 78% of organizations use AI in at least one business function,
- 87% believe it will give them a competitive edge, and
- 92% plan to increase AI investments.
While the popularity of AI reflects its utility, knowing when and how to deploy it is critical to your organization’s success.
Strategy Matters: Balancing AI Benefits and Risks in Public Sector Work
Remember the movie “Moneyball?” As the Oakland A’s try to replace a glut of talented players that left the team, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) doles out some “fortune cookie wisdom.” He states, “If we play like the Yankees in here, we lose to the Yankees out there.” His point was that strategy matters. What works for one organization might not produce the same benefit for another.
If you’re running a small business or nonprofit and try to use AI in the same way a large organization would, you’ll find yourself outmatched. Larger organizations have more resources. This means they can do everything you can on a bigger scale and more effectively. In turn, you may lose clients or donors to that larger organization. They have more capacity to integrate and diversify how they use AI to advance their work. This doesn’t mean smaller or less-resourced organizations should avoid AI. It just means that responsible AI use is important.
Preparing to Integrate AI in the Workplace
Before implementing AI in any capacity, it’s crucial that you assess your organization’s health from the inside out.
The common thought is that AI will help scale your organization, smooth out bumps in operational policies, and make employees more efficient. However, if your organization doesn’t have these systems in place already, AI could exacerbate your challenges. If you struggle to define roles and set operational policies for the humans on your staff, you’ll face the same challenges with an AI model.
Additionally, more than half of employees say they worry about their job being taken by AI. If you plan to implement a tool that half your employees fear, you need clearly defined goals and responsibilities. Ensure every team member can differentiate their role from AI’s role. In instances where humans will manage AI systems, make sure proper guidance and training are in place. Many people have an idealized view of AI becoming a high-performing employee. But in order for that to happen, AI needs high-performing humans managing it.
The same level of detail needs to be considered when using AI for the public-facing side of your organization. You should be able to answer these questions confidently:
- Why do your clients or donors choose you?
- Do you have a niche understanding of a particular product or service?
- Do you address an issue that is highly relevant to your community?
- Do you offer highly personalized services that cater to a specific audience?
- What is the one thing (and only one) that sets you apart from everyone else?
AI can help you create and design content, but if you don’t have a good understanding of your brand’s voice or why your clients, donors, or customers choose you, AI won’t help you move your organization forward. Instead, it could water down your content. This would make it difficult to differentiate you from competitors.
Limitations and Ethical Considerations for AI in the Workplace
Lastly, there are ethical concerns surrounding AI.
Since AI learns from humans, it’s inherently layered with bias. It can perpetuate racism and other systems of social hierarchy. If using AI for decision-making or content development, cross-check the outputs. Monitor for stereotypes and discrimination.
AI is also prone to mistakes. One study found that AI is wrong 60% of the time. If your organization develops a reputation for relying on incorrect information, it could damage your credibility and impact your bottom line.
At the end of the day, AI won’t have the guts to correct your bad decisions, and it doesn’t have the heart to care about the results. If used properly, AI can be a useful tool. Without the proper systems and precautions, AI may end up scaling the wrong aspects of your organization.
