Aspects to consider when implementing AI into a company

In today’s world, the usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is getting increasingly more common. While this has been a subject researched for quite a while, it has received a significant increase in recent years when incorporating it into more areas than before. In the corporate world this shift has also been noticed, and staying ahead of this emerging trend is key to stay relevant, while implementing and taking advantage of all available sources to keep up efficiency and innovation.

Artificial Intelligence, commonly shortened to AI, has rapidly spread not only its awareness but also its application into various fields. While the application of AI brings new possibilities and solutions to problems challenged with through the years, it also comes with hesitation in terms of societal consequences such as trustworthiness, transparency and fairness. Understanding Artificial Intelligence is the most crucial part before applying it into any field. Knowing the possibilities but also being aware of its limitations will help with starting to use this tool and simultaneously guard against any misuse occurrences.

Apart from aiding with analysing data and identifying trends and patterns, AI can also help with optimizing workflows, automating processes and developing new services, which ultimately creates potential for updated business models and allows for competitive advantages. Implementing AI into a company strategy, could help with identifying the suitable outcomes to be measured, determining the appropriate measurements methods and establishing their prioritization. Also considering that to make a strategy suitable for Artificial Intelligence is no longer enough, but rather to look at how to create a strategy with AI, to explore the opportunities it allows companies to have.

1. AI readiness

A mutual readiness within an organization is to be established before taking the step towards a change in using Artificial Intelligence. Companies should invest in developing competence among the workforce long-term, while the employees simultaneously familiarize themselves with an environment powered by AI. The readiness for change is achievable when opportunities for both the organization and the employees are accessible and together working with common interests towards the new workplace.

Setting the plan of change involves defining new tasks and needed skills, evaluating existing competences internally into new roles and assigning training in areas lacking the required skills to sustain this environment. Working with artificial intelligence can look different depending on each department within an organization. Gathering of data and analysing it for better decision making may be the core purpose, but the execution may vary from one department to another.

The digital strategy should realistically represent the possibilities and opportunities based on the company’s current maturity level, while still being aggressive enough to meet the needs and the maturity level strived for. Planning the implementation of AI, leaders should not only consider the rapid evolvement of the technology and what opportunities it could lead to but also acknowledge the current state the company is in, and which technology advancements are possible and valuable to realize

2. Research

In my MBA thesis in Digital Business Management, a qualitative research method was used to explore the freight forwarding company’s current state and areas in their operations where AI could be considered an opportunity and a limitation. Through semi-structured interviews with respondents representing the current workforce, the research aimed at gaining a greater understanding of the operational work, what aspects could be beneficial to adopt Artificial Intelligence into, and which aspects that would come with hesitations toward a possible implementation.

These interviews also touched on the aspect of current company culture and its limitations, as well as what elements to consider for both the leaders and the employees within the organization leading up to any implementation of AI.

The key findings from the research conducted were:

• Efficiency and saving time were reportedly the main advantages of AI, which would then lead to faster service both internally and externally, as well as fewer human errors, opening up resources to handle more bookings and reducing the individual costs, and lastly, overall a better and higher quality service, since the time saved from manual tasks would be focused on the service.
• The main disadvantages were security breach and leak of information given to an AI system, lack of accuracy or correctness of the data created, the environmental impact of AI and the external perception of using AI excessively.
• The current company culture will affect the implementation process and should therefore me modified sufficiently, to consider possible concerns of resistance and willingness to change, alongside the current knowledge and hesitation towards AI in particular. Highlighted actions to take to overcome these concerns, were sufficient information, training and guidance on the usage.
• Adequate training, proper planning and guidelines should be set before taking on any implementation process. Further, while the final decision lays on the management’s table, it was also emphasized the advantage of including the employees in the planning phase. Voicing the reasoning behind the changes and showing the potential AI will allow, also motivates the workforce to work towards it.

In conclusion, AI is a multifaceted subject with both benefits and drawbacks to take into account if approaching a decision to work with it. The data results presented in the research suggested that while AI is not currently implemented into the company, the possibility of doing so would lead to more opportunities in the long run. While the implementation process will likely be time consuming and require a lot of planning and resources before implemented sufficiently, it will be worthwhile in the end.

3. For further reading:

• High, P. A. (2021). Getting to Nimble: How to transform your company into a digital leader. London: Kogan Page Limited
• Mutschler, C., Münzenmayer, C., Uhlmann, N., & Martin, A. (2024). Unlocking Artificial Intelligence, From Theory to Applications. Cham: Springer Nature.
• Li, B., Qi, P., Liu, B., Di, S., Liu, J., Pei, J., . . . Zhou, B. (2023). Trustworthy AI: From Principles to Practices. ACM Journals, ACM Computing Surveys Vol. 55, No 9, 1-46.
• Sage-Gavin, E., Vazirani, M., & Hintermann, F. (2020). Getting Your Employees Ready for Work in the Age of AI. In P. Michelman, How AI is Transforming the Organization (pp. 27-33). Cambridge: The MIT Press.

4. Short biography of the Author:

Julia Bjons is the author of this master thesis. She finished her Bachelor in Business Administration at Novia back in December of 2020 and has since then been working as a freight forwarder at Backman-Trummer Oy, where she has gained valuable experience in the logistics field. Continuing her study journey at Novia with completing a Master in Business Administration came as a natural choice, to keep growing her knowledge and expertise in the area.