Demystifying the role of AI in business
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s on our doorstep and ready to be taken advantage of. SMEs are increasingly leveraging AI to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth
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Heather Murray of Beesting Digital and AI for Non-Techies has made it her mission to demystify AI and show businesses of all shapes and sizes how they can use it to their advantage, while also addressing the elephant in the room: doing so without making anyone redundant. On Tuesday 19th March, Heather took part in our Alumni Network webinar to discuss how we can Utilise AI to grow your business.
Automating repetitive tasks
One of the most significant advantages of AI for small businesses is its ability to automate repetitive tasks. Time-consuming activities like data entry, copywriting, scheduling, and customer support can be efficiently handled by AI-powered systems, freeing up valuable time for business leaders and employees to focus on more strategic initiatives. Heather explains that by automating these processes, small businesses can improve efficiency, reduce errors, and ultimately, save costs. But she stresses that the people using the AI tools need to know what good looks like.
‘Take a copywriter for example. AI can write you a 500-word SEO article in seconds, but the person using the tool will need to know what good looks like. They need to have the skills to evaluate and make changes where necessary. This is how AI works, it’s a tool, not a substitute.’
Understanding the customer
AI also enables small businesses to personalise their interactions with customers on a large scale. With advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, AI can analyse customer data to understand preferences, behaviour patterns, and purchasing history. This information allows businesses to tailor their marketing campaigns, product recommendations, and customer service experiences to individual needs, fostering stronger relationships and driving customer loyalty.
Empowering data-driven decisions
By collecting and analysing vast amounts of data in real-time, AI systems can uncover valuable insights and trends that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Whether it’s forecasting sales, optimising inventory levels, or identifying emerging market opportunities, AI equips small businesses with the intelligence they need to stay ahead of the curve and make informed decisions that drive growth.
Supporting cybersecurity
In addition to improving internal operations and customer interactions, AI can also enhance the cybersecurity position of small businesses. With the proliferation of cyber threats, protecting sensitive data and systems is paramount for small businesses. AI-driven cybersecurity solutions utilise advanced algorithms to detect and respond to potential threats in real-time, helping to safeguard valuable assets and mitigate risks.
First steps
There will be a number of disciplines/activities across your business that you can test and trial AI to understand whether it can create the efficiencies and improvements you are looking for. However, it’s essential to approach AI implementation strategically. AI adoption should align with overall business objectives and the tests and trials should be clearly communicated to your employees to ensure that they understand what is being tested and how it fits with the bigger picture. Additionally, providing adequate training and support to employees is essential to ensure successful adoption and integration of AI into daily operations.
During the webinar, Heather mentions that the first steps for anyone wishing to experiment with AI should be getting to know the tools. She says that the most commonly used tools are Chat GPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot, which all have free versions as well as paid. As a user you can simply pick the tool up and start asking it how it can help your business, you can even get it to write an article on demystifying AI for you…
Access the Utilising AI to grow your business webinar recording here.
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