10 reasons why business leadership needs to train themselves and their staff with GenAI skills, and immediately …

I use the word immediately for 2 reasons:

1. GenAI is the fastest growing tech, ever. ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly active users in January 2023, just two months after its launch.? The Internet took seven years, the iPhone and Facebook 4 years, and Instagram 2.5 years.
2. GenAI can impact and benefit every employee. True but this claim needs to be nuanced some. GenAI has broad applicability across various industries and can be beneficial to employees at all levels of seniority, but its relevance and impact does vary depending on the specific job function, industry, and the nature of work involved. But if you are in finance, sales & marketing, customer success, HR, operations, IT/R&D or the exec team, read on!

OK, so generative AI's growth trajectory is remarkable and indicative of its transformative potential across all industries. Not training your staff in generative AI risks your company falling behind in innovation, skill levels and operational efficiency, making you less competitive. It can lead to talent attrition, as employees seek growth opportunities elsewhere, and leaves your business ill-prepared for future technological shifts, potentially jeopardizing its long-term success and relevance.

Here are thoughts and my top 10 reasons to get organized for adoption at the organizational level, not just hoping that individuals figure it out themselves, with GenAI.

10 reasons/benefits for adopting GenAI at the organizational level:

1. Individual Productivity: Training your staff in generative AI skills can significantly boost productivity across the board. By automating routine tasks and streamlining workflows, your team can focus on high-value activities, leading to faster project completion times and higher overall efficiency.
2. Competitive Advantage: Proficiency in generative AI tools and techniques can set your company apart from competitors. It enables you to leverage cutting-edge technology to innovate, optimize operations, and offer better products and services, keeping you ahead in your industry.
3. Skillset Enhancement: As the job market evolves, proficiency in AI becomes an increasingly valuable skill. Training your staff in generative AI not only prepares them for the future of work but also makes them more versatile and capable professionals, enhancing their career prospects and job satisfaction.
4. Improved Decision-Making: Generative AI can analyze vast amounts of data far beyond human capability, providing insights and forecasts that can inform strategic decisions. Training your staff to use these tools can lead to better-informed decisions, reducing risks and identifying opportunities more effectively.
5. Risk Management: Through predictive analytics and scenario modeling, generative AI helps executives anticipate potential risks and devise effective mitigation strategies, thus enhancing the company’s resilience against unforeseen challenges.
6. Staying Ahead in Innovation: Training your staff in generative AI equips them with the skills to innovate and ultimately be smarter. It opens up new avenues for research, for product development, service enhancement, and problem-solving techniques, ensuring your company leads rather than follows market trends.
7. Operational Efficiency: By gradually adopting generative AI, your team can identify and automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, leading to significant improvements in operational efficiency. This enables your company to allocate resources more effectively, focusing on strategic growth areas.
8. Attracting and Retaining Talent: Offering onboarding and training in a cutting-edge technology like generative AI makes your company more attractive to high-caliber professionals. It also increases retention by investing in your current workforce's growth and adaptability, fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
9. Future-proofing Your Workforce: As the business landscape becomes increasingly digital and automated, having a workforce skilled in generative AI ensures your company can seamlessly adapt to future technological shifts and maintain its competitive edge in the evolving market. Reduce churn!
10. Create a Can-Do Culture: Delivering effective GenAI onboarding and training demonstrates a commitment to employee development, fostering a culture of empowerment, adaptivity, innovation and creativity. Don't get left behind. Remember, 100 million users in 2 months.

So what next and how do we start?

We are getting past the 2023 Wild West stage of individuals experimenting with GenAI and moving into more organizational level transformation.

If you have the leadership and enablement skills in-house, follow best practices and get started. It is not quite like building wings as you head down the runway, but not far off. If needed, pull in an ‘expert’ to help collaborate and manage the initial launch.

There are a few ideas in my article “GenAI Strategy: Who should evangelize and Facilitate Generative AI?”

Thanks for your time today!

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