Automation of repetitive tasks, especially in the office environment, is the purpose for which AI is particularly well suited. Part of the business value of this automation may lie in the reduction of labor costs but the majority of the value will lie in improving the speed and efficiency of the process.

Think of AI maturity as the difference between wielding a hammer clumsily and crafting a masterpiece. At Searce, we believe organizations that actively cultivate AI maturity unlock real business value.

In the world of business, timing is everything. Time, in many processes, has tipping points. I like to refer to the normal tipping points as real-time, tea time, lunch time, and dinner time. Real-time solutions issue their answers in less than one second, while tea time requires something to be done in less than 5 minutes. Lunch time needs a reaction within an hour whereas dinner time can live with an answer by tomorrow morning. With AI, we can often solve the problem faster and stay below the required tipping point in our business cases.

Imagine facing a business challenge requiring a response within an hour. While we must react within one hour, answering in 30 minutes might not add significant value within the broader workflow. So simply being faster is not worthwhile until you can break into another category altogether such as transforming these “lunch time” issues into instantaneous solutions. This approach unlocks revolutionary business models and maximizes potential value.

An example is the instantaneous creation of analytics graphics based on questions being asked in natural language and answers grounded in a well-governed database. In this conversational environment, a human can achieve complex understanding in minutes where previously, multiple day-long wait times for the data analyst team would have been involved. The efficiency of being able to answer analytics questions live in a board meeting as opposed to waiting for the next board meeting is not an incremental efficiency improvement. This isn’t just automation; it’s a revolution. Board meetings transform into dynamic exchanges of ideas, with answers unfolding in minutes, not days.

To reap these benefits, an organization is well advised to think strategically about the purposes best solved with AI, to train its staff in AI usage, and to provide careful change management to adjust the entire process to take account of the steps now automated with AI. There will be some steps that are not automated. The value of AI can be eroded if those interfaces are not designed smoothly. Due to these non-technological steps, budgets and time should be reserved to deal with them.

Remember—AI is a game-changer, but like any tool, its true power lies in the hands of those who wield it intelligently.

Since such projects cause a lot of work in the short term, it is beneficial to outsource some of the aspects to experts who have done this before and who specialize in projects of this nature. Best practices and efficiencies can be best leveraged with such experts at the table.

Now, don’t just take my word for it. Dive into the AI Maturity Tracker report to learn about common challenges and opportunities experienced by companies, both mature and immature, in adopting AI tools for their processes. We, at Searce, will be happy to offer tailored advice to your specific needs.