Business leaders often tell me they feel barraged by technology vendors touting their latest shiny thing as “disruptive” and “game changing.” Some technologies, like internet and mobile, did turn out to be powerful forces that transformed how we do business. But other technologies, not so much.
As someone who has worked a full career at the intersection of business and technology, I’ve learned to be extremely judicious and selective when making my case for a new enterprise technology. And I do what I can to avoid hyping a trend.
Now comes artificial intelligence. I, like many, am dazzled by its long-term potential to redefine many aspects of our lives, including how business is done.
The big idea behind AI is using vast amounts of data and compute power to perform tasks historically done by people. Sometimes AI can even do certain things better than people. And businesses are all about people: customers, employees, and investors.
That’s why I care. As a business leader, why should you care?
Your Customers Will Care
AI technology has already made an impact on our personal lives: Siri, Alexa, and more. It’s also at work behind the scenes in a growing number of consumer experiences: targeted communications and offers, quicker problem resolution, and more.
Before long, most customers will be able to discern between an AI-powered interaction with a company and one that hasn’t made the leap. The AI-powered experience will be more convenient and personalized, the difference between using a mobile app to pay your bills versus sending a check in the mail.
It’s not hard to predict which will be the preferred customer experience.
Your Employees Will Care
The challenge of getting the most from your talent never ends. Enterprise AI moves daily work away from low-value repetitive tasks and toward delivering better decisions sooner. Before long, future talent will be able to discern between AI-powered employment opportunities and the traditional kind.
The AI-driven employment experience will be more empowering, less soul-crushing, and will prepare people for a better career in the future.
It’s not hard to predict which one employees will prefer.
Your Investors Will Care
An organization that has connected intelligence across all of its major business processes (customer service, finance, sales, human resources, supply chain, and so on) will discover value-creating opportunities faster, and at a lower cost.
All things being equal, this connected intelligence should lead to superior returns. Just like smarter, more informed people tend to do better in life.
Before long, investors will be able to discern between those AI-enabled organizations and those that aren’t.
And I can safely guess which ones they’ll prefer.
Here Comes the Next Wave
Imagine a company that couldn’t figure out how to operate in the internet age or the mobile world. The world changed; they didn’t—or couldn’t. At a minimum, they’d have serious challenges with customers, employees, and investors.
And that’s why you should care about AI.
By: Chuck Hollis Oracle’s senior VP of converged infrastructure.
