Generative AI ROI: Don’t Forget to Invest in Your People

Technology alone isn’t enough

It’s no surprise that many companies today are rushing to invest in generative AI. There is an atmosphere of FOMO, the fear of missing out, and with everyone else doing it, how could you not? It’s true that the benefits of generative AI are incredible when it is leveraged correctly - allowing for increased productivity and elevated creativity. But time and again, I’m seeing companies investing in the necessary technology and then expecting groundbreaking returns on investment that never come to fruition. Why? Because they’ve missed a key step along the way. Technology itself is essential but workforce training is being overlooked. Without upskilling employees to effectively integrate and leverage generative AI on the job, your investments can quickly fall short of their potential.

“ It’s not just about having cutting-edge technology; it’s about empowering your people to use it. ”

I spend a lot of my time running corporate trainings to upskill staff in the latest happenings of AI - it’s a fast-moving space so there is never a lack of content to cover. On the contrary, it’s hard to decide what to prioritize! Through my work, I have noticed a pronounced AI skills gap, made more prevalent by the widespread use (or should I say, misuse?) of generative AI. Generative AI is unique within the AI field because of its broad utility for the general public. Now more than ever, anyone can access and use AI to empower them on the job. But this skills gap urgently needs to be addressed.

“ Companies that pair their tech investment with employee training programs will be the ones to reap the rewards of the generative AI wave. ”

And don’t just take my word for it! Check out the article that inspired me to share my own thoughts on this topic: Upskilling Employees to Bridge the Generative AI Skills Gap by Jake Burns from Amazon Web Services (AWS) , featured in The Guardian.

Jake elaborates on the benefits of upskilling existing employees over external hiring (something which I wholeheartedly agree with), how to get employee buy-in and how to design effective upskilling programs.

Future Ready Your Team

To add on to his thoughts, if a company is interested in implementing an employee training program, I recommend starting with:

• an assessment of the current skill level of your workforce.
• an understanding of the specific AI tools that align with your company’s goals.

Trainings should be designed to address the gaps - bringing your workforce’s knowledge up to par with current industry trends and making employees both comfortable and confident in using the identified AI tools. Depending on how large your company is, gaps and tools may vary between departments and thus trainings will have to be adapted accordingly.

Sessions should begin with inspiration, encouraging everyone to embrace the exciting opportunities that AI has to offer within achievable boundaries. I specialize in this type of training and love getting others hyped up for the power of AI, while also being sure to set realistic expectations.

Once excitement has been instilled in the audience, you can move into addressing the identified AI gaps, ranging from workshops and hands-on projects to ongoing mentoring. A mix of subject matter experts, both internal and external, should be involved to leverage specialized training. It’s important that this training not be seen as a one-off event. Continuous education is key in the fast-paced world of AI, especially generative AI, and staying current ensures that employees are maximizing their proficiency with the latest available tools.

A Multiplier for Success

I can attest first hand to the benefits of these types of programs. I regularly lecture in academia to increase AI awareness and have been trusted by Fortune 500 companies such as PepsiCo, PUMA, Mapfre and Nitto to upskill their employees in AI. The benefits are multifaceted: not only does AI upskilling ensure that employees can use AI tools effectively to increase productivity, but it also boosts morale by showing that the company is invested in its people’s growth. Employees who are equipped with up-to-date skills are more engaged and better positioned to contribute to the overall success of AI initiatives within a company. This leads to a more seamless adoption of new technology, better business outcomes and, finally, stronger ROI.

Do you want a future where both technology and teams thrive? Invest in your people!

" AI sits at the intersection of People-Technology-Data; neglect one of these pieces and you risk the entire system falling apart. "

~Christina Stathopoulos

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Thanks to Amazon Web Services (AWS) for sponsoring this post.