The AI Revolution: How to build your talent strategy

Miles Harris, Director, Tech Talent Solutions & Customer Success, Peregrine

The AI revolution has arrived. Across every industry, people are interrogating its promise to transform our organisations and redefine the way we work. But will AI live up to the hype? A recent survey from Gartner indicates 87% of CEOs believe the benefits of AI will outweigh the risks and 37% think AI will increase productivity by over 15%. This is clearly bold thinking, but implementing practical solutions requires a business strategy for implementation, not just optimism and a new budget.

Like most technological revolutions, AI adoption isn't an all-or-nothing proposition. Instead, organisations should consider how AI fits into their specific needs and operations. A strategic approach to AI integration can yield measurable benefits while mitigating risks.

How is AI a fit for your business?

The first step in adopting AI is to assess where it can add the most value to your organisation. This requires an assessment of your business processes, pain points, and strategic goals. In particular, you could explore:

• Data analysis and insights
• Process automation
• Customer service and engagement
• Predictive maintenance (manufacturing)
• Supply chain optimisation.

Identify areas where AI could potentially improve efficiency, reduce costs, or create new opportunities. Not every process needs AI intervention. Sometimes, simpler solutions or human expertise remain the best approach.

Skills for AI adoption

As AI becomes a part of your processes and planning, you'll need cultivate new skill sets within your workforce. Data analysts will be essential, but organisations that include business analysts and project managers as well as people with AI skills will be better placed to adopt change and deliver business outcomes from AI initiatives. Key areas to consider:

• Data science: Professionals who can work with large datasets, develop algorithms, and create machine learning models.
• Data analysis: Analysts who can interpret AI-generated insights and translate them into actionable business plans.
• Business analysis: Business analysts who can assess change requirements and work collaboratively with data experts to deliver new programmes.
• AI engineering: Specialists who can design, develop, and maintain AI systems.
• Ethics and governance: Experts who can navigate the ethical implications of AI and ensure it's used responsibly and within all legal frameworks.
• AI-human collaboration: People who can work alongside AI systems, leveraging their strengths while providing human judgment and creativity.

Collaborating across the organisation with leadership, managers, HR, and external talent and training providers can help you build a strategic plan to ensure these capabilities take root.

Strategy and operations

To position your business to benefit from AI, you'll need a data strategy that includes collection, storage, quality, accessibility, and security plus an IT infrastructure that can support your ambitions. Your workforce may not be immediately inspired by the changes you need to make, so it's important to provide communication and invest in training. If you're using a third-party vendor, assessing their strengths and capabilities will help you manage a new a rapidly evolving market. Where new technology leads, compliance naturally follows so stay in front of any new regulations your industry plans to implement.

Keep in mind too that AI is an investment like any other and you'll need to find a way to measure your progress and align your plans with wider business goals. This will be challenging at the start, but without a framework you could slip into a loop of experimentation and discovery without practical application.

Finally…

By assessing where AI fits into your operations, and addressing key strategic and operational considerations, your business can optimise the power of AI while minimizing risks and cost. ?Finding and developing people with the right data analytics and technical skills will help you build the foundation for change.

AI adoption isn't a race to implement the most advanced technology. It's about finding the right balance between AI capabilities and human expertise to take your business forward.[MH1]? Start small, learn from early implementations, and scale your AI initiatives as you gain confidence and see tangible benefits.

Flexibility will keep you open to new possibilities. AI's power may not be optimising existing processes but unlocking entirely new ways of creating value.

If you need an AI talent strategy to optimise your data and business processes, get in touch.