Roundup: Customers Shift Focus to Implementation of AI
Attention is moving away from break-neck development and toward the implementation of solutions.
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Businesses Take a More Practical Look at AI
There’s a subtle shift underway in the world of AI in HR: Vendors and customers are shifting their focus away from development at break-neck speed to concentrate on the implementation of solutions.
“AI has certainly evolved beyond the “new and shiny” phase,” said Eric Connors, chief product officer at talent acquisition platform iCIMS. “The initial excitement fueled a wave of rapid innovation, but businesses have now shifted focus to practical, results-driven applications that deliver measurable value.” Customers, he said, are “focused now on what’s actually in it for them, and their business, when it comes to AI.”
“While AI will keep evolving and generating excitement and experimentation, companies are now more strategic and focused on clear ROI when deploying AI at scale,” added Boyan Kelchev, vice president of product management at enterprise AI platform Hyperscience. “Innovation is still happening, but the rapid pace has slowed down to a more measured, business-focused adoption.
“I don’t think the FOMO [Fear of Missing Out] is over yet but there is a growing discernment of AI in the market. Organizations have learned that it is not wise to throw AI at everything and see it as a silver bullet,” said Dayforce Chief Data & AI Officer David Lloyd. “Instead, they’re considering whether AI is truly needed to solve a specific problem. Many times, it isn’t.”
As a result, the idea of “justification by AI” is losing its attraction. “Across the industry, there’s increased attention to adoption, training and measurement of AI investments,” said Lloyd.
Business First
That means employers are spending more time considering the business impact of AI solutions before they begin implementation. The companies who’ve seen the best outcomes from AI are those that have applied solutions that result in real, provable benefits. “Businesses have now shifted focus to practical, results-driven applications that deliver measurable value,” said iCIMS’ Connors.
One result of that is changing goals. Intuitive user interfaces, clear training materials and ongoing support have gained more attention as businesses seek ways to leverage AI in their day-to-day work. “Businesses realize they need platform capabilities that go beyond an API, providing ways for users to work effectively with AI, ground AI and measure the success and value of AI usage and collaboration,” said Kelchev.
Executives point out that AI is still in an early phase of its evolution. Employers should keep a ready eye on technology advancements – and their implications – if they want to take advantage of transformed processes workflows, they say.
“Deployment, implementation and adoption of AI takes time and careful planning. Additionally, we see business leaders still evaluating how to measure ROI and define KPIs – both key component to making AI enterprise-ready,” said Lloyd. “As more companies drive OKR measurement around AI tools, we’ll gain a better understanding of how AI is realizing value and its impact on the bottom line.”
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