Leading Your Team Through the AI Transition

AI has taken the world by storm in just the last few months. It's seemingly everywhere you look as new products and capabilities like ChatGPT are rolled out almost daily and major software developers integrate AI into their offerings.

According to some news articles, blogs, podcasts and even around the office, AI can do most anything, and will quickly transform the world as we know it. The AI hype cycle is on full-blast and it's only accelerating.

AI is more than just hype

While AI is not the first technology to promise rapid, revolutionary change, it wouldn’t be the first time an innovation failed to live up to the hype. Former Apple CEO and respected visionary Steve Jobs once predicted that Segway scooters would change the way cities are built and replace much of our transportation infrastructure. Just a few years ago, bitcoin was going to make money obsolete and the blockchain would become the dominant technology architecture.

None of those things happened of course. But AI promises to be different as it solves real-world business problems and enables entirely new capabilities. Some of the hype may be premature or overblown but it's undeniable that AI can empower businesses and employees in ways that were unimaginable only a few years ago.

Your business can’t ignore AI

As a business owner or manager, you can’t afford to disregard AI and what it can do for your business. While the move to AI is just getting started, it’s already clear that it can improve efficiency, automate processes, and turn vast data stores into detailed insights and actionable information.

You can also bet that every one of your competitors is looking at AI as a way to get an edge. Each of them is investigating, testing or even deploying AI as we speak.

AI terrifies many of your employees

While you see AI as an opportunity, some of your workers consider it an existential threat. Those employees see AI as something that will put them out of a job rather than as a growth engine for your business. The media hasn’t helped of course, having suggested that AI will replace humans in many occupations. Much of the discourse ignores that it's more likely that AI will help employees do their jobs better, rather than sending them to the unemployment office.

Changing employee perception

So how do you bring your employees around to the benefits of AI not just to your business but to their ability to do their jobs better? Open communication and education on the real benefits of AI are a great start. And you’ll need to depend on your leadership skills to enlighten your team members on the value of AI while dispelling rumors and misconceptions about the impending demise of steady employment.

How? Follow these steps.

1. Explain AI to your employees: Help your team members understand what AI – and isn’t.
2. Build a team of AI champions: Enlist team members throughout the company to spread the word.
3. Make it personal: Talk with your employees frequently and in person about the impact of AI on your company and their role -- and don’t forget to listen to their concerns!
4. Educate your team members: Provide the essential knowledge and skills they need to fully exploit AI.

Getting your employees to embrace AI and the changes it brings to the way your company operates may be a challenge. It's almost certain that some will fear that their jobs will be marginalized or even eliminated by AI.

At K3 Technology, we’ve seen this process occur with many new technologies. So, we can help guide you, as you guide your employees to take full advantage of this powerful technology. As a start, I recommend following the steps above and reading the article linked below. It will be well worth the effort.

How To Get Everyone In Your Company on Board With AI