My company is still at the beginning stages when it comes to AI. We don't have any overall new AI tools in place, but we're trying to get ahead of our employees' use of Gen AI tools that are publicly available. Most of our Gen AI use thus far seems to be for productivity purposes. Some examples include using ChatGPT for writing emails, drafting presentations, summarizing information, creating complicated Excel formulas. Drafting emails is by far the most popular - you can throw out your overall thoughts and use Gen AI to generate the email and adjust the tone (professional, less aggressive, etc).
We're also investigating use of Microsoft CoPilot's paid version. It isn't cheap, I think we are paying around $350 per month per license and you must commit to a full year. We have purchased four licenses and are working to determine whether it's something we want to pursue further.
We are currently working on adopting an AI policy. It's been a challenge because we want to establish a list of approved uses and tools, which means we need to fully understand these tools first (how they work, what risks they pose as far as confidentiality and security, etc.). We're putting out an employee survey to determine how our staff are using Gen AI tools, which tools, how frequently, etc. We also acknowledge we're going to need a lot of employee training. We're trying to get ahead of it, because we know our people are using these tools, but they may not fully understand the risks, which include confidentiality of information, the need for verification of results, and potential bias.
Here are some DOL recommended best practices for AI use in the workplace that I thought was worth sharing. https://www.dol.gov/general/AI-Principles
I'd love to hear how others are starting to use Gen AI for general productivity.
Has anyone developed an AI policy and could provide guidance on best practices?
------------------------------
Amanda Bernard CMA,CPA,CFE
Director/Manager
Douglassville PA
United States
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 10-24-2024 11:06 AM
From: Gerald Ratigan
Subject: Ai use in small business - What functional areas have been and/or plan to implement Ai
Hey everyone,
AI is rapidly changing the business landscape, and even small businesses can leverage its power for growth and efficiency. I'm curious to hear how you're all using AI in your organization. Let's share our experiences and learn from each other!
What functional areas have you already implemented AI in?
What are your future plans for AI implementation?
I'm particularly interested in hearing about:
- Specific AI tools or platforms you're using
- Challenges you've faced in implementing AI
- Benefits you've seen from using AI
- Tips for other small businesses looking to adopt AI
------------------------------
Gerald Ratigan CMA,CSCA,CPA,CPIM
IMA Global Board Member
------------------------------