The Business of AI by OpenAI | Flashy and New Tools are not always the best tools for the job.
- Nov 23, 2023
- 3 min read
The Business of AI: A Deeper Look
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers tremendous potential to transform workflows, products, and entire industries. However, thoughtless or overhyped AI adoption will fail to deliver lasting value. As experts from Shopify, Typeform and Salesforce discussed, pragmatic steps enable developing AI that solves real problems for customers. AI agencies can guide businesses to integrate AI responsibly and strategically.
Evaluating Workflows, Not Specs
Rather than focusing on technical specifications, take an agile approach to identify where AI can optimize customer workflows.
As Miqdad Jaffer from Shopify explained, traditional linear software requirements limit the experimentation and feedback essential for AI development. He gave the example of Shopify first testing semantic search capabilities in a narrow marketplace context, before expanding the technology more broadly based on positive user response.
AI agencies can conduct design thinking exercises and user research to map customer journeys and pinpoint friction points. This deep workflow understanding allows agencies to ideate AI applications that alleviate pain points and create intuitive value.
Customer Understanding Unlocks Value
Oji Udezue of Typeform emphasized that AI's value depends on how well it fits customer needs and behaviors. He warned against overestimating how readily users adopt new technologies. For example, Typeform designed Formless, their AI-powered form builder, as a standalone product to enable iterative experimentation based on user interactions, rather than disrupting their existing product.
AI agencies can apply their user research expertise to identify customers' true workflows, pain points and adoption readiness. With these insights, agencies can guide clients to develop AI solutions that integrate seamlessly into natural user behaviors, accelerating adoption and business value.
Move Fast, With Thoughtful Friction
Balancing rapid experimentation with ethical AI development poses challenges. Kathy Baxter of Salesforce recommended continually evaluating AI systems and incorporating responsible design principles, while still releasing imperfect products to enable real-world learning. For example, Salesforce Research developed the SAFER checklist for auditing AI risks.
AI agencies can advise on frameworks like SAFER to conduct ethical risk assessments during rapid prototyping. By partnering on design sprints, agencies ensure thoughtful safeguards are built into AI systems from the start. Ongoing model monitoring services also allow agencies to insert "mindful friction" when risks emerge.
Measure Time-to-Value
Since AI aims to save time or money, Udezue and Jaffer recommended measuring success based on time-to-value. For example, does an AI-powered recommendation engine reduce the time for users to discover relevant products from 30 minutes browsing to 5 minutes? Accelerated efficiency directly quantifies AI's impact.
AI agencies can work with clients to establish clear time-to-value metrics aligned to business objectives. Agencies can also monitor usage analytics to validate whether AI solutions continue providing enduring utility over time. This data-driven approach focuses development on driving results, not just adoption.
Preparing for Exponential Change
As Jaffer observed, AI research is accelerating exponentially, with innovations in model cost, speed, and size rapidly dissolving current limitations. He advised leaders to build now, even imperfectly, to get ahead of the curve. Shopify tested early AI capabilities internally, before exposing them to merchants once proven.
AI agencies stay on the cutting edge of research to guide clients in adopting new advances at the right time. With their broad expertise, agencies can also anticipate the wider disruptions AI may cause across processes, business models and industries. Change is coming - AI agencies help businesses get out ahead.
Specialized AI agencies offer not just technical skills, but strategic guidance, ethical grounding and customer wisdom. Responsible AI integration requires blending pragmatism, ethics and vision - exactly the partnership AI agencies provide. Is your business ready to explore how AI can create real value? Reach out to leading AI agencies to start the journey today.
Comments