How are you preparing for AI? Three questions we're constantly asked

We recently participated in a webinar with our friends at Censia that discussed the role of AI and machine learning in the workplace and what we can all do to prepare for it. 

We jumped at the opportunity to participate in this webinar. Not because we love webinars (listen, they’re effective and informative, but we wouldn’t call it a love affair), but because we have conversations with customers every day about how we can help them get on first base when it comes to creating a culture and infrastructure that’s ready for AI. Going from zero to AI not only takes time, but clear objectives and a sound strategy. Because like any project or initiative, jumping into the deep end only makes sense if you know what you’re doing after you jump. 

A few questions from the webinar resonated with us because they just so happen to resemble questions we hear from clients every day. Don’t feel like watching a recording? No sweat; we pulled the highlights from it, without the “Um’s” “Great question’s” and “Can you hear me’s?” we’ve grown to love over the last year and a half. 

Question 1: Have we moved past the need to sell the merits of AI? Or are you finding that it’s a given that AI provides unique insight to help humans work more efficiently and effectively?

In our experience,  AI is a word that’s used pretty frequently, and while we see people nod their heads, they don’t really understand what it means and how it can be applied to their industry. 

In marketing, for instance, the industry understands the importance of data, but many marketers don’t really know what to do with that data, who to talk to about leveraging it, and how to apply that data to make better business decisions. In fact, it’s why we started this company. We’ve worked at multi-million and billion-dollar companies with large marketing teams, campaigns and subsequently, data. But deriving meaningful insights from that was hard. It was in a black box that was only made accessible with a little bit of Google Analytics, dashboards that gave you an insight into the past with no recommendations for what to do next, and a data scientist to help translate it all for you.  

So, while people are familiar with the term AI, we’ve found that many groups don’t know how it applies to them, and if they do, how to make it work for their business. Before we sell the merits of AI, we have to educate first. 

For us, when we work with clients, it’s a three-step process: awareness, access, and action: awareness of the capabilities and benefits of AI, access to tools and resources that can take your AI product from concept to reality, and taking action on your sound AI project and executing. 

Question 2: Are companies achieving their AI goals?

We hate to answer a question with a question, but, how many companies have AI goals to begin with? 

From NewVantage Partners’ 2021 Big Data and AI executive survey, there’s still some work to be done when it comes to companies making the most of their data: 

So, while a lot of us are creating digital exhaust,  there is a serious gap in a qualified workforce with the right skillset to interpret that data to get an outcome.

We believe leadership teams might be the most gapped here from an awareness standpoint. Proactive leaders, especially in places like the Bay, Austin and Boston might be there. But right now it’s challenging to find people outside of those areas in computer science to hire.

In our world, if you want a marketer or strategist who knows how to deploy AI solutions, who knows the art of the possible, you may struggle outside of the IoT or growth hacking community to find that person . 

That’s why 90% of our job has been increasing awareness and making these concepts accessible to make teams and their workforce successful. When we work with clients and teams that have the basic skills and understanding it really helps start the project on third base. 

And, if you think it’s only the small companies who have gaps in this area, it’s not. The massive companies do, too.  We work with companies that build everything from the cars you drive, medical devices to even the software that runs most of the internet, and they’re still struggling to forget a data culture. 

 The bottom line is that being gapped in this space right now is normal and acceptable. But not doing anything to develop skills in this space isn’t acceptable in 2021. Feel like getting started by reading a “Data 101” primer for business leaders? Read our free guide.

Question 3: What does AI transformation really look like, and what you should do to get started?

First thing’s first, we should set expectations: transforming your company into a data-driven organization successfully deploying AI projects won’t happen overnight.

Think about it. A social media manager job didn’t exist in 2005. iOS app developer and Cloud architects didn’t exist, either. Now these positions are some of the highest paying jobs out there. This’ll be the case with AI. 

We don’t say this to make you feel scared or intimidated. We don’t want people who don’t have those skills to be intimidated, but empowered. That’s why, with our friends at Censia, we put together a really great plan to give you a starting point on how to develop some of that knowledge and empower you. All you need to do is sign up for the webinar and you’'ll receive a 12-month plan for enhancing your brains with AI knowledge.

Interested in getting on first base and starting your data journey? You guessed it, we can help with that.