TRUDY MORRIS: Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool for businesses
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Trudy Morris, chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, suggests that artificial intelligence offers genuine opportunities for businesses
It can be challenging to keep on top of all the latest business trends but over the past year it has been near impossible to escape conversations about AI.
Far from being new technology, artificial intelligence has actually been around for decades. Computer scientist John McCarthy – widely considered one of AI’s founding fathers – first coined the phrase in the 1950s.
A quick glance around your home or office will showcase many everyday uses of AI – face recognition to open your smartphone, spellcheck and autocorrect when you are composing your latest email or text, Google Maps to help take you to your next meeting, Siri and Alexa who have practically become part of the family, and at the end of the day when you sit down to watch Netflix, the programmes that are recommended. All examples of AI in action.
Much of the recent heightened interest can be attributed to the launch of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that quickly went viral.
A form of generative AI, ChatGPT allows users to ask questions about literally anything. It processes these requests and uses various forms of AI learning to produce "human-like" responses and continually refine and improve how it answers.
While at first read a simple concept, the possibilities are endless, and people have had plenty fun testing it. From requesting essays and articles to creating fitness routines and composing music, the potential power and influence of these programs has reignited the debate around the ethics and potential abuse of AI.
Just last week, the US Federal Trade Commission opened an investigation into whether ChatGPT’s owners were doing enough to stop it giving out inaccurate information.
So what does AI mean for our businesses? Is it something we should embrace or be concerned about?
No matter the size or sector of your business, there are useful applications of AI. You may already use a number of AI-based tools like accounting software but perhaps don’t recognise them as that.
Where these tools can be particularly useful is giving us back that previous commodity of time by streamlining processes, automating repetitive day-to-day tasks and helping organise data. That data can be anything from the emails in your inbox or employee shift patterns, to customer service processes and how visitors use your website.
Start small by identifying key tasks you could delegate or gaps in your toolkit. Then research and test tools for your specific requirements – the positive about the AI boom is that there are lots of free tools. If you find one that works for you, make sure you establish clear policies and procedures, including training people to use it effectively and ethically.
The one thing we can be sure of is AI has now been with us for nearly 70 years and it will still be with us for at least the next 70. Given its increasing relevance for members, we are hosting a breakfast event on August 16 to discuss some of the ways in which AI can be used to support marketing and communications.
To book your place or find out more visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/business-breakfast-with-3x1-group-understanding-ai-for-your-business-tickets-675046190327
