Tech is only a small part of a successful AI strategy. With the recent “AI at work” report finding that only 36% of employees are optimistic about the tech, business owners need to prepare their people.
In a short time, it’s become obvious that the AI revolution is less "future is now" and more "now is now." But successful AI integration isn't just about exciting new AI tools. It's about getting your people ready.
Buying a fancy espresso machine doesn't automatically make you a barista. You need training to get the best cortado out of the machine. Same goes for AI.
Of course, where this analogy falls short is that the wannabe barista probably isn’t worrying the espresso machine is going to steal their job. In VML Global’s recent report AI at Work: From Adoption to Action, 69% of business owners surveyed felt optimistic about AI, vs only 36% of entry-level employees.
Here’s how we can prepare for this AI-powered era. It's not about fighting the robots; it's about learning to dance with them. (Yes, they can dance now.)
The Four Pillars of AI Readiness
The human side of an AI strategy can essentially be divided into four key pillars.
1/ Education and Training: Level Up Your Team
The VML report found a noteworthy gap when it came to AI training for staff. While 74% of business owners felt they provided adequate AI training, only 27% of entry-level employees said they received adequate training. A good AI training programme should include:
AI Literacy for All: Everyone needs a basic understanding of what AI is, what it can do, and what it can't do. Think of it as digital hygiene.
Role-Specific Training: Train your social team on AI-powered content creation, your ops team on using AI to improve briefs, and your customer service team on AI chatbots.
Continuous Learning: Only 47% of respondents said their organisation provided adequate AI training. In the South African context, where we're competing globally while dealing with local challenges, this gap needs urgent attention.
Identify AI Champions: Find the tech-savvy go-getters in each department who can help others embrace AI without fear. These champions can help bridge the knowledge gap and drive adoption from within.
2/ Culture and Communication: Let's Talk About the Bots
While more than half of those surveyed felt generally optimistic about AI (56%), 60% of respondents were nonetheless worried about AI-associated risks. Talking openly about concerns will help get buy-in.
Open Dialogue: Don't hide the AI elephant in the room. Encourage honest conversations about AI's impact on jobs and workflows. In South Africa's diverse workplace culture, transparency isn't just good practice – it's essential for building trust.
Transparency: Be upfront about your AI strategy (I promise you they all know you have one). Tell your employees what you're doing, why you're doing it, and how it will affect them.
Collaboration: Foster a culture of collaboration between humans and AI. Remember, AI is a tool, not a replacement. After all, "76% of people believe that technology will never take creativity away from humanity" according to The Future 100: 2025 report.
3/ Process and Workflow Adaptation: Time to Tweak
A lot of people are already using Co-Pilot, ChatGPT, and other AI tools to some degree. Sixty-five percent of survey respondents said AI helps complete tasks more efficiently. So, you may as well make the relationship official.
Identify AI Opportunities: Where can AI make your life easier? Look for repetitive tasks, data-heavy processes, and areas where you're struggling to keep up.
Workflow Redesign: Be prepared to shake things up. AI might require you to completely rethink how you do things. In our market, where we often need to do more with less, this isn't just about efficiency – it's about survival.
Data Readiness: Make sure your data is clean, organised, and ready for AI to work with. This is especially crucial in our context, where data quality and accessibility can vary significantly.
4/ Ethical Considerations and Governance: Play Nice, AI
Ethics and AI have got off to a rocky start. So, it’s not surprising that 62% of respondents have ethical concerns around the tech – and rightly so. Here’s what you need to be thinking about:
Establish Ethical Guidelines: What are your red lines? Data privacy? Algorithmic bias? Make sure you have clear ethical guidelines in place.
AI Governance Framework: Who's in charge of AI? Who's responsible for making sure it's used ethically? You need a governance framework that reflects both global best practices and local realities.
Human Oversight: Never let AI run wild. Always have a human in the loop to make sure things are going according to plan. After all, AI learns everything from us – the good, the bad, and everything in-between.
Now for that elephant. Let's be real about the challenges:
Job Displacement: It's a possibility, but it's not inevitable. Focus on retraining and upskilling programs to help employees adapt to new roles.
Data Security and Privacy: This is crucial. Make sure you have robust data security and privacy policies in place to protect sensitive information.
South Africa’s Unique AI Potential
South Africa stands at a unique crossroads. With our combination of first-world infrastructure and emerging market dynamism, we have the opportunity to pioneer an approach to AI that balances innovation with social responsibility. We can either lead the way in showing how AI can be implemented thoughtfully in developing economies or become a cautionary tale of what happens when technology adoption outpaces preparation.
Just remember: Unlike Tony Stark, you don't need to build an AI assistant in a cave with a box of scraps. You just need a solid plan, an open mind, and the wisdom to bring your people along on the journey.
Download the full AI at Work report here.
Originally published in Marketing Spread.
