My AI assistant has also created a podcast episode for the following article. If you prefer listening to reading, you can listen to the podcast via the following link (ATTENTION: Podcast is created exclusively by AI, no guarantee for accuracy).

What is Generative AI?

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that aims to create something new, such as text, images, music or videos. Unlike other types of AI, which are designed to analyze existing information or perform specific tasks, generative AI attempts to create something new based on what it has learned from a large amount of data. It uses patterns and structures in the data to generate new content that is similar to what it has seen before. It is, so to speak, a creative machine that is able to think and create in a way that was previously only possible for humans. Generative AI is used in many areas, from art and entertainment to research and development.

How is Generative AI used in companies?

More and more studies are showing the high usage figures for generative AI at work and in everyday private life. In addition, initial studies are also investigating how conscientiously AI technologies are used in general and how knowledgeable employees are with regard to the careful and responsible use of AI technologies.

In a Gartner study last year, more than 40 percent of respondents stated that they had acquired or used technologies outside the corporate IT universe. Shortly afterwards, the research service Core followed suit, stating that shadow IT had increased by 59 percent, with the study attributing the increase to remote working.

“The fact that shadow IT can develop at all is an indicator of the inadequate state of IT in the company. Innovation backlogs, slow reactions or unsuitable applications – this summarizes why employees prefer to use AI tools on their own instead of waiting for the company” , according to a report in the Handelszeitung.

What added value do AI technologies bring to companies?

If AI technologies are used carefully and responsibly, they bring a variety of benefits for companies, including increased efficiency, cost savings and improved creativity and innovation.

1. increased efficiency: Generative AI can help to automate and accelerate business processes. For example, it can be used to automatically generate reports, analyze data or respond to customer service requests, increasing productivity and saving time. One example of this is Unite’s AI-based customer service.

2. cost savings: By automating routine tasks, Generative AI can help reduce labor costs. For example, Generative AI used to respond to customer service requests can reduce the need for human customer service representatives and thus save costs.

3. improving creativity and innovation: Generative AI can be used to develop new and innovative solutions to various business problems. For example, it can be used to create design proposals, which encourages creativity and accelerates the development of new products. The template for the Generative AI Business Case shows an example of this.

Another example is the use of Generative AI in the marketing industry. Some companies use AI technology to generate personalized marketing content. These can be based on the individual preferences and behavior of customers, which increases the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. You can find an example of this in this blog post about LLM-supported campaigns.

How do companies empower their employees to use Generative AI mindfully?

Companies face the challenge of empowering their employees to use Generative AI mindfully in order to both promote innovative solutions and minimize ethical and legal risks.

Events and workshop formats are needed to educate employees so that they can overcome their fear of new AI technologies and at the same time not underestimate their careful use alongside the euphoria and enthusiasm for the new hype topics.

One of the first events was to discuss and answer the following questions, among others:

1. how does Generative AI generate its answers? Where does Generative AI get its answers from?

2 What must be taken into account with regard to data protection and the use of sensitive data?

3. what use cases and applications are there for Generative AI technologies?

4. how can every employee use Generative AI technologies in their own (professional) everyday life?

5 Which AI technologies are permitted in the company and where do employees get their accounts from? You can find out more about AI guidelines in the template for AI guidelines.

6. how do employees communicate with the new Generative AI technologies (prompts etc.)?

7. where can employees get further support if they have problems with Generative AI technologies?

As a rule, however, an information event is not enough; continuous training and programs are needed to provide employees with ongoing support.

How do companies ensure continuous development with regard to mindful AI skills?

Information events or kick-off workshops generally only serve as a prelude to a comprehensive range of further training and in-depth measures aimed at ensuring the careful and responsible use of AI technologies. There is no universal workshop concept that can be applied to every company. Rather, it is necessary to develop individually tailored programs that are aligned with both the needs of the employees and the specific corporate culture.

Here are some best practices that I have successfully experienced at other companies.

1. lunch sessions

A widespread format is to hold regular lunch sessions in which employees receive training on specific topics in short sequences. Personally, I have had excellent experiences with this approach in teaching knowledge about Generative AI. However, a key prerequisite for the success of these events is that they are actually attended by employees and that they are given the opportunity to formulate their own questions. I also had positive experiences when the first best practices for the successful application of Generative AI were presented during these sessions.

However, lunch sessions are not suitable for extremely diverse teams. The greater the discrepancy in the level of knowledge of individual employees, the more problematic it is to reach all participants in a general meeting. In such cases, it is necessary to either organize separate meetings or use alternative formats.

2. teams channel

In many companies, special team channels are being set up to share knowledge and answer questions about generative AI. This measure can be implemented in addition to other active measures. However, a single Teams channel is not enough in most companies, as participation is often too low to reach all employees effectively.

I’ve also set up a WhatsApp group where I regularly post news, events and updates about AI technologies, artificial intelligence and chatbots. Everyone is welcome to take part. Simply follow this link to the WhatsApp group follow.

3. gamification

I have had the most positive experiences with the implementation of gamification elements. For example, I introduced weekly challenges for individual SwissGPT customers. Each employee is given a task once a week that can only be solved with the help of AI technologies. After a period of four weeks, the employee with the highest quality results is awarded a prize. Although this method may seem somewhat unconventional at first, the experiences made with it have been consistently positive.

4. weekly (prompt) tips

Sending weekly AI tips to employees is also an excellent addition to other measures. In the past, I have implemented the regular sending of weekly prompt tips in particular. Employees receive a new, well-structured prompt every week, which is not only instructive, but also continuously points out new ways of using the technology.

5. mentoring programs

In the context of diverse teams in which individual employees already have extensive knowledge in the responsible use of AI technologies, while others have hardly any prior knowledge, I have implemented mentoring programs in some cases. In these programs, an experienced employee supports and accompanies a colleague who is still inexperienced and possibly insecure in this area.

This type of mentoring program has so far proven to be extremely beneficial for everyone involved.

6. short learning videos

At the end of last year, I had the opportunity to take part in a video series that included training on generative AI for employees. It was important for the company that the videos were short and concise, rather than too long and detailed, to address the challenge that employees may not watch the videos due to lack of time or interest.

Get started?

I have created a variety of offers, templates and useful links for the responsible and mindful use of AI technologies. Take a look at my page on AI with foresight.

Nothing there?

Then write me a message with your wishes and questions and we will find an offer for you. Just send me a message via WhatsApp or email.

Or come directly to my WhatsApp group – where I regularly post use cases, news, best practices, events and much more about chatbots, ChatGPT and co.

This article is also available as a podcast episode

Attention! The podcast was created entirely by my AI-Assistant based on my contribution – no guarantee for incorrect content.