Channel: IBM
Date Published: 2025-06-24
Summary
The speaker argues that many businesses mistakenly prioritize productivity as the ultimate goal, focusing on output-based metrics like deal closures and revenue per customer. This narrow focus causes them to miss the larger transformative potential of AI, such as creating entirely new business lines.
Instead of solely concentrating on making existing processes faster, companies should consider how AI can fundamentally reinvent their business models. The speaker provides the example of a media and entertainment group that focuses on faster set design or audio editing. They will miss the opportunity to completely change the way content is created.
The speaker shares a tool they developed to help individuals identify irrelevant tasks by analyzing their job title, company, and tasks, then categorizing tasks by AI’s current and future capabilities. The tool helps users understand how their roles might evolve with AI adoption, addressing fears of job displacement. The speaker emphasizes that fear is a major reason why employees don’t adopt AI tools, alongside lack of time and training.
To counter this, business leaders must acknowledge these fears openly and communicate clear policies about AI’s role within the company. This includes defining what AI will and will not do, and providing support and training to help employees adapt. The speaker notes that C-suite executives often express confidence in group settings but privately admit to being worried about the impact of AI on their jobs. To address this, the speaker suggests one-on-one conversations to build trust and create a safe environment for making strategic decisions about AI adoption, risk mitigation strategies, and building internal AI task forces.
Recommendations
- Instead of solely focusing on productivity, businesses should consider how AI can fundamentally reinvent their business models.
- Business leaders should openly acknowledge and address employee fears about AI.
- Communicate clear policies about AI’s role within the company, defining what AI will and will not do.
- Provide support and training to help employees adapt to AI-driven changes.
- Engage in one-on-one conversations with executives to build trust and facilitate strategic decision-making about AI adoption.