Integrating artificial intelligence tools for business growth

Artificial intelligence (AI) integration into workplaces and organisations is inevitable, therefore managing the transition and adopting the best tools is vital to successful performance.  

From developing ideas for marketing campaigns to optimising processes, AI is already assisting organisations across the board, future-proofing against technological changes, and ensuring they remain competitive in an evolving landscape.

“Every Australian business is already using AI-enabled tools whether they realise it or not,” The University of Adelaide Australian Institute for Machine Learning Centre for Augmented Reasoning Director Anton van den Hengel said. 

“They rely on Google Maps, Facebook Ads, Bureau of Meteorology weather forecasts and Uber – to name a few – and often without recognising these are AI-powered technologies.”

However, the challenge with this is that organisations have adopted AI as customers, not providers. 

“The problem with being customers and not providers is 27.5 per cent of the price of every trip goes to Uber, for example, and most of this money goes overseas,” Professor van den Hengel said. 

“This model is spreading to the rest of the economy and it’s not sustainable.”

Artificial intelligence in the workplace

For organisations transitioning into AI-driven practices, experimentation is key to success.

“The process for Australian businesses to adopt AI should start with experimenting with AI-powered solutions, like ChatGPT, to understand their capabilities and limitations for specific business needs,” Professor van den Hengel said.

“There’s no competitive advantage in using ChatGPT alone because it’s accessible to everyone.

“Once businesses understand its limitations, they can work with AI contractors to develop bespoke AI solutions which provide a global competitive edge in the AI industry.”

Professor van den Hengel said the primary issue with AI adoption in Australian businesses was the tendency to do it half-heartedly.

“Many of the boards I speak to acknowledge the inevitability of AI but have responded by setting up a small team of software engineers to give it a try,” he said.

“This passive approach doesn’t work – it merely delays the inevitable.

“Instead, Australian businesses and boards must treat AI adoption as a top-level priority.

“Boards must identify AI-related risks and implement clear governance structures to manage them.

“This particularly involves incorporating AI expertise into board skills matrices, embedding core AI competencies across the organisation and making bold, transformative decisions not just incremental changes.”

The importance of keeping up with digital transformation

Many businesses and organisations that do not get a grasp on a future with AI could struggle in an evolving world.

“AI is transforming every industry and those which fail to adapt will be left behind – there is no middle ground.”

“Saying you won’t adopt AI because you don’t see the benefit is akin to refusing to build a website two decades ago," Professor van den Hengel said.

“To capture the benefits of AI, businesses must proactively identify how it will fundamentally reshape their industry before their competitors do.

“This is reminiscent of the internet’s disruptive impact – many businesses which were slow to adapt no longer exist.”

Fortunately, according to UNSW Sydney Computer Science and Engineering Laureate Fellow and AI Scientia Professor Toby Walsh, organisations are beginning to view AI not as a peripheral, but as a core strategic imperative.

He said this was ultimately a fundamental reimagining of many businesses.

“The most transformative AI examples are those which don’t merely automate but create new ways of doing,” he said. 

What AI tools do businesses need?

Machine learning models and AI frameworks are crucial to this transformation, offering scalable solutions for business adoption.

“It’s not just about replacing human labour but creating entirely new opportunities," Professor Walsh said.

“Enterprise-grade AI models are transforming customer service, content creation, and automation. Emerging AI agents will further enhance these capabilities.”

Mr Walsh pointed to Canva as an exemplary for successful AI integration. AI startups, like Canva, showcase how applied AI can drive innovation and business growth.

“Canva is a wonderful example of a company that saw the opportunity to embrace AI,” he said.

“It now has AI magic tools integrated across its whole design platform, with tens of millions of subscribers earning them hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue – a not bad for a company with no AI in their product just a few years ago.” 

Developing an AI strategy

In today’s AI-powered business landscape, developing a comprehensive AI strategy is crucial for staying competitive.

This involves identifying areas where AI can add value, creating a roadmap for AI adoption, and investing in the necessary infrastructure and talent. Business leaders must consider factors such as data governance, ethical AI practices, and the potential of machine learning when developing their strategy.

“My recommendation is to build organisational AI literacy, foster a culture of technological adaptability and maintain a critical human-centric perspective,” Mr Walsh said.

A well-developed strategy can help businesses improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and drive revenue growth. 

It can also give businesses a competitive edge by enabling them to adapt to changing market conditions. For instance, a financial services firm might use AI to automate fraud detection, thereby reducing losses and improving customer trust.

To develop a successful AI strategy, business leaders should start by conducting a thorough assessment of their current capabilities and identifying key areas for AI integration. This includes implementing AI governance to protect data privacy, security, and ethical integrity.

By taking these steps, businesses can unlock the full potential of AI and achieve their strategic goals.

Lighting the path forward for business leaders

Mr Walsh said effective AI integration demanded a nuanced, careful and agile approach, with the biggest bottleneck being human expertise.

“Technology should amplify human potential, not replace it," he said.

“The key to successful AI adoption is starting small but thinking big – pick a high-impact pilot project, prove the value, then scale strategically.

“Your data infrastructure needs to be rock solid with proper governance and security measures, as even the most sophisticated AI tools are only as good as the data they’re trained on.”

The challenges of using AI in the workplace

Bringing AI tools into the workplace faces many challenges.

Mr Walsh said they were multifaceted and spanned technical, social and ethical issues.

“Alongside technical complexities, businesses need to address significant ethical and societal issues,” he said.

“Privacy concerns, algorithmic biases and technological unemployment are substantive considerations that cannot be overlooked.

“Looking forward, I anticipate AI systems will enable more sophisticated human-machine collaboration.

“The future isn’t about artificial intelligence supplanting human intelligence but augmented intelligence.

“We stand at a critical juncture – our technological choices today will fundamentally shape our collective tomorrow.”

Learning to utilise AI 

Professional development opportunities in AI can empower organisations to succeed with data culture and information architecture.

Want to deepen your understanding of AI in the workplace? AIM WA’s Fundamentals of AI in the Workplace course equips non-technical professionals with hands-on learning to use AI effectively and confidently.

Or join us for the AI in the Workplace Exchange conference, where industry leaders will break down the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in AI.

This dynamic AI conference will explore practical strategies, gain expert insights and future-proof your organisation. 

Read our article series exploring artificial intelligence in the workplace here.