Unlocking the Power of AI for All

Welcome back to AI at Work, a newsletter and video series that explores unlocking the value and power of AI in the workplace. 

Find your AI champions 

AI is creating new ways of working for everyone. The rules are still being written and no one gets it right on the first try. That means everyone must go through a period of experimentation with AI tools like Microsoft Copilot before starting to drill down on what it can do. When it comes to AI at work, that’s where internal champions come in. Alongside the other elements needed for successful AI implementation, it is their enthusiasm and knack for sharing their skills and learning that will encourage use across the organization.  

These AI champions can be anywhere in the company, at every level and every function. They could be anyone from a tech evangelist who lives and breathes technology, to a senior executive who wants to use AI to transform the business. Given the myriad of tasks and processes within an organization, and the range of work styles and personal preferences, the more diversity you have among these champions, the better. 

Here’s how to find and nurture these AI champions: 

1. Encourage managers to identify a “power user” in their team who can lead internal training sessions and share insights and techniques on a regular basis.  
2. Incentivize innovation by asking employees to devise creative AI solutions for automating or enhancing current processes. Rewarding the most impactful contributions can significantly boost engagement and adoption. 
3. Create a forum where employees can showcase their most compelling AI prompts to encourage a culture of shared discovery and inspiration.

It’s all about helping people embed AI into their daily work, share their solutions, and inspire others to explore the potential for themselves. 

There’s more on this and other lessons we’ve learned at Microsoft about AI at work in the latest WorkLab story. 

The 11-by-11 tipping point 

Our latest research shows that most people need to save just 11 minutes of time each day to feel the benefits of tools like Copilot. Many of them save more time each day: the most efficient users save 30 minutes, while the average person saves 14 minutes a day. 

The same study also finds that 11 weeks is the tipping point at which they say it improves productivity, enjoyment of work, work-life balance, and results in fewer meetings.  

So, as it turns out, reaping the value of Copilot takes a simple equation: 11-by-11. 

AI and SMBs 

The conversation around AI often centers on its potential to revolutionize large enterprises. Yet, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are poised to reap significant benefits too. According to the U.S. SBA’s Office of Advocacy, they represent 99.9% of all businesses and employ nearly half of the workforce. And it’s these businesses that stand to gain the most from the era of generative AI. 

SMB owners often wear many hats across their organizations and spend a tremendous amount of time communicating with customers and running day-to-day operations. AI promises to lift much of this burden, freeing them up to concentrate on nurturing and expanding their operations. 

I’m excited to see what they can do with a little help from AI. 

Fresh perspectives 

A roundup of perspectives and thought-provoking insights from across the web into what AI means for leaders and the future of work. 

• I recently joined Washington Post Live, along with OSU’s Ayanna Howard, on Future of Work: A New Innovation Playbook to discuss how AI is revolutionizing the way we work, collaborate, and innovate. 

• Workplace futurist Larry English provides a strategic plan for AI readiness as part of his 4 Steps To Becoming AI Ready With Microsoft Copilot. 

• David Autor, an MIT economist and tech contrarian, argues that AI is fundamentally different from past waves of computerization in How One Tech Skeptic Decided A.I. Might Benefit the Middle Class. 

• In a similar vein, Ethan Mollick, professor of management at Wharton, warns that We’re Focusing on the Wrong Kind of AI Apocalypse. 

  For more insights into AI and the future of work, subscribe to this newsletter.