With the dizzying pace of AI-related breakthroughs and announcements, it may seem like every day is AI Appreciation Day. But a lot of that “appreciation” is just vendor-driven marketing hype. So today, on AI Appreciation Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate what AI is actually doing in the enterprise and beyond.
AI Adoption Is Driving Real Top- And Bottom-Line Impact For Enterprises
The past year has witnessed the swift adoption of generative AI (genAI), and companies are beginning to see the results. According to Forrester’s Q2 AI Pulse Survey, 2024, consisting of generative AI decision-maker respondents, the top three positive impacts that companies report as a result of adopting genAI are improved customer experience (42%), increased employee productivity (40%), and increased revenues (34%). Enterprises with genAI FOMO should:
- Get familiar with generative AI terminology. Large language models are just one component of the generative AI ecosystem. A new vocabulary is emerging to describe different models, prompting techniques, and customization approaches. Business leaders, data and tech leaders, and data professionals should familiarize themselves with these emerging terms to ensure that they’re all speaking the same language.
- Select the right use cases basd on industry and business function. While generative AI is a technology with horizontal relevance, it is impacting different industry verticals in very different ways. Use cases in healthcare, for example, look very different than they do in insurance or banking, and HR use cases differ significantly from marketing ones. Prioritize the use cases that make sense in the context of your business and that align with your strategy.
- Adopt an “align by design” approach. A lack of trust, privacy and security concerns, and risk and governance issues are the greatest barriers companies face in adopting generative AI. For the past six months, my colleagues, Brian Hopkins and Enza Iannopollo, as well as myself have been researching AI alignment, and what we’ve found is concerning. Misalignment is inevitable, but a proactive approach can mitigate risk. Our report will publish soon, but in the meantime, if you’re a Forrester client, feel free to schedule a call with Brian, Enza, or myself to discuss best practices.
AI Is Also Benefiting The World At Large
It is not just enterprises and technology vendors reaping the rewards of AI. A host of companies, NGOs, and governments are also using AI to make a positive impact on people and the planet. Here are three areas where this is happening:
- Mental health treatment. Predictive AI has been used for years in medical diagnosis, and now generative AI is making its way into mental health treatment. Earlier this year, Cedars-Sinai launched its eXtended-Reality Artificially Intelligent Ally, a physician-developed chatbot offering conversational therapy in immersive virtual reality environments. And in India, Iwill Therapy is leveraging Microsoft to offer chatbot-based cognitive behavioral therapy via its app in a host of local languages.
- Digital accessibility. One of the promises of generative AI is the democratization of access to the digital realm. Earlier this year, Apple began autogenerating transcriptions to Apple podcasts, which both opened up access for podcast consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing and also helped people with certain cognitive disabilities, people who prefer to read (versus listening) to learn, and anyone who wants to be able to search an episode to find specific content of interest.
- Sustainability. Given all the talk about AI’s carbon footprint, it may seem disingenuous to talk about AI and sustainability in the same breath, but some companies are using AI to mitigate environmental impact. In agriculture, for example, farms are combining robotics and AI technology to reduce herbicide use by up to 90%. Studies have shown that smart sensors with AI can reduce water consumption by over 40%. And AI research collective, the Mila Institute, is leveraging generative AI to visualize the future impact of climate change at any specific address, anywhere in the world.
Remember that genAI is just a technology, and like all other technologies, it can be used for good or for ill and applied well or poorly. Leverage Forrester’s deep library of AI research (client access only) and consult our experts to ensure that your adoption of AI has a positive impact on your business and the world.
Finally, a big thank you to my colleague Gina Bhawalker for her help with this post. Gina’s research covers experience design, the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and design, and digital accessibility.
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