Green Room Recap: Uncover the Opportunities of AI
Posted on October 4, 2024 in Company News
Green Room Recap: Uncover the Opportunities of AI
August 28, 2024 | "Uncover the Opportunities of AI"
Jo Ellen Whitney, Dentons Davis Brown
Chris Snider, Drake University
April Schmaltz, Delta Dental of Iowa
Watch the Green Room recording.
In the latest installment of Delta Dental of Iowa’s virtual conversation series, The Green Room, April Schmaltz, president and CEO of Delta Dental welcomed guests Chris Snider, associate professor at Drake University, and Jo Ellen Whitney, attorney at Dentons Davis Brown. Both guests brought their unique perspectives on the growing usage of AI in the workplace as they answered questions on the topic.
Here is a brief recap of the themes that emerged around AI’s role in business, how to address employee concerns about AI, and how to benefit from greater efficiencies.
The basics of AI
AI tools transform businesses by automating repetitive tasks, which frees employees to focus on more strategic and creative work. Whether generating human-like text, summarizing data points, or supporting manual processes, AI can improve efficiency at work. This could translate into more time for problem solving, client interactions, or increased innovation in an office setting.
Concerns with AI
Despite AI’s proven benefits, many employees worry that AI may soon replace their jobs. To help alleviate these concerns, leaders must show employees how AI enhances their roles rather than eliminates them. Whitney suggested educating employees on how AI is already a part of their daily lives when they use Siri or Gmail’s AI-powered features. Doing so can help reduce the fear created by years of sci-fi doom stories.
AI for innovation
We’ve heard how AI benefits efficiency, but we don’t hear enough about how it can be a resource for brainstorming and problem-solving. Snider described how AI could spark ideas, push teams to think differently, and accelerate innovation. However, it’s important to remember that AI is a tool to support human creativity, not replace it.
Risks and ethical considerations
While AI brings incredible business potential, it also poses risks like bias, data privacy concerns, and intellectual property issues. Companies should establish ethical frameworks for AI use to ensure responsible adoption. Help employees understand what AI tools do, how they learn, and the risks associated with each one. Whitney provided the example of AI-driven hiring tools, which can speed up the hiring timeline but may add unintentional bias. She also recommended reading up on the EU AI Act to see how other regions address AI regulation.
Measuring AI success
How can companies gauge the success of AI at work? Leaders can find efficiencies, improve job satisfaction, and greater innovation as clear indicators of success. AI should not only be about doing more in less time, but it should improve the quality of work and allow employees to develop deeper skillsets. Snider gave the example of a teacher using AI to speed up manual tasks so they can spend more time with students or customize lesson plans to meet the specific needs of each learner.
Is AI for small businesses?
Yes, AI is for everyone. Small- and mid-sized businesses can leverage affordable open-source AI applications to remain competitive and scale their businesses. By automating processes and analyzing large data sets quickly, AI can provide valuable insights to help businesses of every size stay agile and compete.
As you consider the addition of AI tools into your business, remember the importance of responsible use. Determine how it will be used and the impact it could have on employee morale.
For more on AI in the workplace, watch the full Green Room conversation here. Please join us for our next Green Room edition where we discuss applying vulnerability to leadership.