How HR Can Jumpstart the Enterprise AI Transformation

As artificial intelligence (AI) takes hold in the workplace, both employers and employees believe it will benefit the enterprise and help workers to be more productive. In fact, 93% of employees would be willing to take instructions from a robot, according to a new study Oracle conducted together with Future Workplace.

That’s not surprising, when you consider that employees encounter AI all the time as consumers. Most people today have no problem following the route our navigation app chooses or asking Siri or Alexa to put together a music playlist. Employees are ready for that kind of experience to appear in the workplace.

Yet many enterprises are moving very cautiously when it comes to implementing AI, despite the clear benefits. What’s preventing them from adopting AI more quickly?

For some companies, there some uncertainty around cost, or concerns about security. The biggest obstacle the survey uncovered, though, is a worker preparation gap. Organizations just aren’t taking the steps they need to get their employees ready to make the AI transition.

They are missing a huge opportunity to get ahead of the AI curve. There’s a huge pent-up demand by employees to change their enterprise software experience, to move from the cumbersome, form-filling designs of the past to using natural language to interact with data across (and outside) the enterprise.

The last change of this magnitude was the integration of mobile devices with enterprise software, a change that was at first responsive to customer demands and so driven internally by sales and marketing. The AI transition is far more driven initially by the internal demands of employees and their need for information, insights and collaboration. This time around, HR is the internal driver. In fact, paving the way for AI in the enterprise is one of the most important tasks facing HR leaders today.

So, what can HR do now to jumpstart the process? Here are four ideas:

1. Begin incorporating AI into some existing processes where the data already exists, adding machine learning and chatbots in place of older UIs. The HR help desk function is an ideal starting point, allowing employees to easily ask common questions with natural language, whether it’s how much vacation time they have left to the procedure for handling a sensitive management issue.

Another area where HR can drive business value with AI is in recruiting. The talent war is real and it’s brutal. Making it easier for candidates to find the right job posting, to get personalized guidance through the applications process, to be guided on the best next steps, all can make the difference in landing talent. The same technology can be extended to employees looking for the right opportunity within the enterprise to grow their career. Not only can it point them to the best fits within open jobs, it also can connect them with the most appropriate resources and experts for them individually. Doing this can be a huge retention asset, as it will demonstrate that the company is invested in workers and their career development.

2. Training is the Key to Success. To take full advantage of AI, employees and leadership need to be on the same page. A workforce that doesn’t have the chance to develop an AI-based skillset won’t show the productivity gains or improved customer satisfaction that workplace AI can deliver. At the same time, when employees feel they aren’t getting help to build those skills, it creates anxiety. They can imagine a scenario that’s more sci fi than reality, one where the machines are taking over. Instead of welcoming AI, they’ll start to worry it will cost them their jobs. That creates problems for HR and the enterprise, instead of opportunities.

HR leaders will have a critical role in addressing this skills gap – and, according to the survey, many of them want to take on this task. In fact, a chief concern in HR that they won’t be able to keep up with the pace of AI deployment over the next three years. What holds them back is a lack of organizational commitment to preparing the workforce, including its cost – even though the long-term cost to the organization is a lot bigger from not preparing the workforce.

3. Don’t wait until all the training resources are available, use existing resources to create the start of an AI training program. This will help HR demonstrate the value of training in getting the most out of the AI investment. (In fact, consider training executives first, as are likely to be the earliest direct beneficiaries of AI. Make them converts and resources will follow.)

4. Move deliberately and gradually. Make easier changes first, focusing on building an experience for employees that mirrors the one they have come to expect as consumers. That’s easiest to do with cloud technologies, because they allow AI to be embedded quickly into existing enterprise applications. Done right, it will help to allay any anxiety (by employees or management) by demonstrating how AI can make repetitive or mundane tasks much more enjoyable and collaborative. Once people experience the freedom that have to be creative and strategic, they will welcome it and want more; once management sees the productivity gains and the contribution to retention, they will more readily support a rapid transition to AI.

Bringing AI into the organization is no longer a matter of if, but when. The benefits are too great, and companies that lag in its adoption may also find they are laggards in their industries as well. There are obstacles to overcome, but workers are ready to jump in. Incorporating AI into the workplace is an enterprise-wide effort, and HR’s participation and leadership are crucial to success.

What do you think is the key to success in deploying AI into the workplace?