We recently had the chance to peek behind the curtain of how a household name organisation (think worldwide, with over 20,000 employees) has been deploying AI.
The reality was somewhat depressing. According to our Deep Throat, despite spending millions with both external consultants and a very familiar LLM, the implementation has been poorly executed, leading to an unsatisfactory take-up and a confused workforce.
We won’t reveal too much, but there are some learnings as well as some distinctions in the way we look at helping companies on their AI journey.
Lack of a Grassroots Approach
- Top-Down Implementation: At Trainr, we go deep. One-on-one sessions are the norm. It’s only this way that companies can see what is actually going on on the shop floor. Too many businesses push AI initiatives from the top without thinking about frontline employees and how they are actually currently using it. This means that grassroots input and opinions are often missed. (Ask us about our AI Pulse Tests).
Expecting Instant Miracles
- Overhyped Expectations: Many companies see AI as a quick fix for all problems. This is a Lesson 101 error: time is needed to figure out what’s going on at grassroots level, what is needed, how small wins can lead to a greater sense of AI direction for the company. (Ask us about our 5-part ‘Future of AI and your company’ courses).
Failure to Envision the Future
- Short-Sighted Planning: This miracle culture means companies often focus only on current capabilities without considering future developments. We’re much more interested in creating a two or three-Year horizon. Understanding how AI will evolve is crucial for sustainable implementation. This means companies need to Invest in continuous learning. (Ask us about our AI Ops strategy).
Poor People Strategy
- Neglecting Talent: Many organizations fail to build the right team to support AI initiatives. No council, no regular meetings to discuss small wins, no AI Ops role, no training. A trained AI workforce is a much happier and confident one. One without the right skills and confidence is only doomed to fail. (Ask us about our secret sauce for achieving this).
We could go on – and on – about how the right approach needs to take change management into account, how a one-way ‘broadcast’ approach is wrong, and how a surface-level approach is often just a tickboxing exercise.
Ask us about our three-pronged strategy: company education, pulse test, and grassroots training.