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Innovation does not understand corporate hierarchy and titles. I saw this firsthand when I led Cisco’s global innovation programs and later advised leading Fortune 500 organizations on their AI strategy and roadmap. The boldest and most creative ideas have all the time come from a select few employees who saw a problem and had the creativity and business sense to find a solution. They also had the motivation, resilience, and perseverance to encourage others to implement it.
These individuals weren’t necessarily members of management or board of directors. In fact, most of them are “permanent” employees who are invested in their work and want to make things work higher – for all of us. These intrapreneurs possess the perfect combination of problem-solving and creative considering skills with a dash of an entrepreneurial mindset – a goldmine for any organization in today’s rapidly changing business and technology climate.
Today, intrapreneurs have an unprecedented opportunity to scale the impact of their ideas and enhance their careers by leveraging generative AI. Here’s how.
Making the most of generative AI as an intrapreneur
In the right hands, generative AI can transform business as we know it. McKinsey estimates that the technology may fail $2.6-4.4 trillion each 12 months into the global economy. For this to occur, nonetheless, business must change. And they need to change in fundamental ways.
At least research shows that 40% staff would wish to be reskilled as generative artificial intelligence changes the way we work. In fact, 73% the organization expects that some type of retraining might be vital for all employees.
This creates a great opportunity for intrapreneurs to scale their efforts and develop into an integral a part of the digital transformation process in their organizations. But first they need to understand what they are working with.
Up to date
Don’t fall victim to the illusory truth effect. Just because you interact with generative AI every day doesn’t mechanically mean you know how to use it. In fact, most of us are still learning how to make the most of this technology.
This is because Gen. artificial intelligence is developing at an accelerated pace. For example, while the early natural language processing programs of the Sixties took a long time to develop, today we are seeing artificial intelligence technology make enormous advances in a matter of weeks. We now have not only images, text and code generated by artificial intelligence, but a few days ago we also saw the first short film generated by artificial intelligence.
Just a few years ago this was unthinkable. The existing capabilities of Large Language Models (LLM) are unmatched and growing. Intrapreneurs, who are natural problem solvers, simply cannot afford to remain uninformed in this area. You need to stay awake to date, and this requires constant contact with technology and experimenting with its possibilities.
Take ethical responsibility
The unprecedented capabilities of generative AI also create unprecedented challenges. In this context, regulatory compliance and data security are paramount. Before adopting any AI solutions, review your organization’s internal AI management framework. What are the constraints and best practices adopted by the company?
Going beyond the employer, there are also nationwide and statewide AI policies that corporations must follow to prevent and mitigate any possible bias or abuse. For example European Commission AI Act is the first-ever legal framework to limit and moderate the use of artificial intelligence in various contexts. The state of Illinois also passed this law a few years ago Video Interview Act, which requires employers who use artificial intelligence to evaluate video interviews with candidates to be transparent with them. They are after all many other recipes that have been introduced or are in progress and that can impact how artificial intelligence can and needs to be used.
Staying up to date with your policies in addition to regulatory changes and learning about the possible risks associated with each recent iteration of technology will enable you innovate ethically and responsibly.
Look for quick wins, responsibly
Generative AI has proven to be amazing when it comes to implementing quick wins. The barrier to entry is so low that positions have been almost unanimously adopted to perform one task or one other. If you have not already, take a look at the areas of your organization where these tools can prevent and your colleagues time as a part of your corporate AI strategy.
As per the previous point about ethical use, start small. For example, if it takes you half-hour to sort through calls and emails to prepare for your next call, AI can do it for you in a matter of minutes. Create workflows that can replicate these advantages across your entire team. Track the whole lot. Once you have sufficient data, you can use the proof of concept to implement throughout your organization.
Build a coalition of the willing
The biggest advantages of artificial intelligence can be achieved in an interdisciplinary environment. One of the essential benefits of generative AI is that it has virtually no barriers to entry. The use of human language signifies that tech and non-tech teams have a unique opportunity to collaborate and innovate together in ways in which have not been possible before.
Put it to good use by building an exchange of best practices at work and in the broader AI community. Develop cross-functional collaboration where employees have open access to others to ask questions, share knowledge and experiment with recent solutions.
Start with a clear goal
Regardless of the advantages that artificial intelligence brings to the table, it could be difficult to persuade anyone to cooperate without concrete data proving its value. In this context, it is not just about whether generative AI can solve a specific business problem (it almost certainly can). The query is whether you know how to implement this technology in a way that is ethical, responsible and does not disrupt other business processes.
Before you are taking on any challenge, measure the time and effort it should take for you and your team to complete the task without the use of artificial intelligence. Then measure how AI impacts this a part of your work. Do the advantages justify its use? Also consider the possible risks and opposition you might encounter from other stakeholders. Solve these challenges well in advance so that you simply can implement these solutions without too many problems.
Intrapreneurs who use artificial intelligence will develop into the architects of the future. Combining their talent for creative problem-solving with the limitless possibilities of generative AI might be the silver bullet that can help corporations survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. This creates a unique opportunity for intrapreneurs to not only stand out, but also quickly move up the ranks. Start small, work responsibly and never stop learning. The rest will follow.