It's likely that we're witnessing one of the most prolific periods for AI with major releases of impressive text and image generators such as ChatGPT, Bard and Dall-E. These generative AI models have been making headlines— sometimes writing the news articles themselves—but they are only one piece of the pie. Behind the scenes, many other AI technologies have been transforming industries and making companies more customer-focused, efficient and competitive. Industries are looking to embrace new ways of working to benefit from these technologies especially due to aggressive competition along with an evolving regulatory landscape. The shift required to succeed in this environment is not only one that embraces new technology but also a profound change in the mindset of both leaders and employees. Enterprises that foster this cultural shift will be the ones to thrive, no matter where technology takes us. Embracing Digital Transformation to Improve Customer Experience Like any industrial revolution, an imminent transformation is ongoing, and although frightening to some, the benefits of responsibly operated AI systems are enormous. Not only is AI adoption accelerating businesses forward, but it is also helping to create smarter investments that will support customer experiences and reduce the strain on individual employees. For instance, by deploying conversational AI in our call centers at TELUS, we have provided agents with real-time and personalized data that enables them to support customers and provide faster response times to their inquiries, leading to improved experiences. Additionally, AI technologies offer industries the potential to leverage large amounts of data to optimize decision making, increase efficiency and productivity, and reduce repetitive tasks so that employees can support customers directly with more complex challenges. For example, by joining massive network performance KPIs, we have been adopting a proactive approach to network monitoring and issue resolution. We have been addressing network problems swiftly, sometimes even before they occur. This approach not only saves employees valuable time but also improves network reliability, leading to a better customer experience. Collaboration as a pillar for success A successful AI transformation needs proper alignment between the business teams and the data experts. The real tangible value cannot be generated without an interdisciplinary collaboration. One effective approach is to organize stakeholders from multiple teams in pods or squads with common goals. The data experts then need to adopt a strategic consulting approach to problem-solving, prioritizing the business outcomes of their work over their technology metrics. In today’s competitive and fast-moving environment, having even a partial understanding can lead to significantly greater benefits than waiting for a complete understanding and missing a timely opportunity. By collaborating closely and gaining a deeper understanding of every stakeholder’s needs, data experts can deliver a continuous stream of actionable insights that the pod can learn from and use to refine further development. Accepting a new mindset Although the benefits are high, the rapid pace of technological change has brought about significant challenges and risks for companies looking to embrace AI transformation. Implementing AI systems requires access to high-quality and relevant data, considerable computing power, and the ability to address factors outside of technology itself, such as security and privacy compliance, end-user engagement, and trust in the insights generated. Furthermore, a willingness to change and transform work is critical for success, and the failure to consider these factors can result in projects that do not produce meaningful financial outcomes.