AI Innovation Is Here to Stay: How to Keep Up

Some of you may be skeptical of the hype surrounding AI, dismissing it as just another overused buzzword. But within the tech industry, we believe that this technological revolution will have a profound impact on people’s lives. What sets this wave of change apart is its continuous and ever-evolving nature.

While AI has been present for years, it is now reaching new heights. Deep learning and AI’s ability to mimic human capabilities are driving AI innovation forward. These advancements have transformed what was once deemed impossible into a tangible reality. To keep up with these developments, it is crucial to consider the following strategies.

Embrace the new

The World Economic Forum reports that nearly a quarter of all jobs will undergo significant changes within the next five years. This staggering statistic highlights the urgent need for upskilling, as 44% of skills within those jobs will need to adapt. The exponential growth of possibilities due to AI innovation is evident with each passing day.

To thrive in this new era, leaders in today’s fast-paced business environment must confront unparalleled complexity and turbulence. The speed of change has surpassed our individual capacity to keep up. Embracing new technologies like AI is essential for success and staying ahead. Rather than seeking stability, we must embrace the opposite and harness the power of data, AI, and real-time feedback loops to enhance our strategic decision-making.

Now, let’s explore practical steps to embrace this new reality:

• Supercharge creativity with generative AI: Use its ability to produce innovative ideas, designs, and content. You can tap into vast amounts of data and generate creative solutions that were previously unimaginable. In doing so, you’ll be able to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market of AI innovation. You’ll also be able to explore more imaginative and value-added work by automating repetitive tasks and freeing up time.
• Rethink your role in the era of AI innovation: Most knowledge workers will not be able to do their jobs without the support of AI. They will need to learn these skills in a very short amount of time. AI will demand that we rethink our role in authorship, ideation, and problem solving.
• Expect frequent technological revolutions: Time is shrinking between major transformations. Hundreds of years ago, it took major shifts in technology, such as that caused by the printing press, the course of several generations to occur. As time went on, the pace of change sped up. Take, for example, the changes brought on by the invention of the automobile, which occurred between generations. Now, we can see that revolutions in technology, such as the Internet, can take place within a single generation.

AI is moving fast and will continue to create constant change. To adapt, we need to get comfortable with instability because the dust will never settle. If you find yourself without plans to adjust the way you work, start the conversation now.

Become more responsive to change

Acknowledge and sympathize with the challenges of transformation. Consider the following practical approaches to support your organization through change:

• Create safety for people to explore possibilities: This is the anchor of Salesforce’s human-centered change approach. Much like a boat anchor, it will allow some wandering in every direction while still holding to a strategic location.
• Define what will remain steadfast: When everything seems to be changing quickly, identify important things that are NOT changing. This will insulate from the sea of newness around your teams.
• Find small steps to prepare your people: Something as simple as maintaining your current Sales Stages while applying EinsteinGPT can provide safe footing while trying new things.
• Invest in upskilling and training: Recognize that AI innovation will affect job roles and required skills. Provide training programs and resources for your employees to learn how to work effectively with AI technologies. In doing so, you’ll encourage a culture of continuous learning and skill development.

Remember, too much change at once can lead to resistance. By managing and framing your change initiatives in a thoughtful way, you can help your organization develop an open mindset. When that happens, employees will feel more secure to explore new ideas. This allows for a culture of adaptability and growth.

Build tracks for the future

Success will come to organizations who create a space to explore change and test the potential impacts of AI innovation. Follow these steps to build your AI future:

• Form a cross-functional innovation team: Assemble a team of individuals with diverse expertise in behavior, adoption, and transformation. This team will drive the exploration, implementation, and testing of AI solutions within your organization.
• Engineer an infrastructure for the future: You can’t put high-speed magnetic trains on traditional railroad tracks. Leaders will need to examine their platforms, infrastructure, technical debt, and governance to ensure they are ready.
• Adopt a customer-centric mindset: Understand how AI can enhance customer experiences and improve your connection with them. Develop a strategy that uses AI to provide faster product delivery, personalized services, increased brand recognition, and enhanced customer engagement.
• Build trust: There are as many dangers to this technology as there are benefits. Take a human-centered approach and build trust with those that use your products. Your customers make their purchasing decisions based on the trust you create. Responsible and ethical usage will be at the very center of this effort.

The future of AI holds immense potential. By approaching it thoughtfully and responsibly, you can unlock new possibilities and drive your organization toward long-term success.

Drive ongoing AI innovation

The AI revolution is here. To thrive in this era, organizations must embrace AI and its transformative power. Salesforce Professional Services is your trusted partner on this journey. We’ll help you navigate the evolving landscape of AI and drive ongoing transformation.

With The Office of Continuous Innovation, our team of trusted advisors will work with you to optimize and scale for the future, increase agility and flexibility, and enhance platform delivery. We’ll help you align on business outcomes and realize the power of AI and data — all on the world’s #1 AI CRM platform. Together, we can supercharge your customer experiences and unlock the full potential of Salesforce.

Don’t let the dust settle. Embrace the extraordinary possibilities of AI with Salesforce Professional Services and propel your organization to new heights of innovation and success.