Talking about artificial intelligence has already become commonplace in the face of the rapid dissemination that this technology has had in the corporate world. But, even if this discussion seems incorporated into everyday life, we know that not all companies have implemented AI in their systems. Some haven’t figured out how to make the most of this innovation that this innovation can offer, and others just keep AI in the realm of plans for the future.

Regardless of the real scenario that AI finds itself in the market, ignoring this wave can lead to a loss of competitiveness. That is, facing more difficult paths to achieve obvious objectives such as cost reduction, increased productivity, and scalability of services. With artificial intelligence, it is possible to reimagine business from the wide range of possibilities that this technology has the potential to leverage.

This means thinking strategically in the short, medium, and long term, imagining what the future of each area will be like, and investing gradually. Evolving processes and the organization as a whole, preparing it for major shifts that the market will take in each segment. That is, investing in innovation in a visionary way, improving business over the years to face the significant technological advances that each sector promises.

Innovation in the long, medium and short term

This long-term vision makes companies open to the progress of technology, forming their innovative DNA. A Bain & Company study on the adoption of artificial intelligence, conducted with 600 companies from different sectors and countries, reveals that 85% of respondents understand this technology as a priority in the next two to four years. The research also identified that when employees use Large Language Models (LLMs) algorithms, such as ChatGPT, for example, they can complete about 15% of all tasks much faster and with the same level of quality.
However, in the face of so much data that proves the real advantages that technology brings to the corporate universe, how can C-levels create a culture of innovation to invest in AI and various other tools, obtaining short, medium, and long-term benefits that will prepare organizations to adapt to any major innovation in the market?

Focus on benefits

The first step is how the investment is seen by the C-levels. They should no longer start innovation projects focusing on the financial return they will bring to the business, but on the advantages they will bring to the company.

Ideas are welcome

It is also necessary to implement the concept of the innovation funnel. We use this method to analyze and select innovative ideas presented by the team, choosing those that are effectively viable. This allows us to direct resources assertively to obtain the best results and prevent money, time, and human capital from being wasted on proposals that do not add value or will not bring significant return to the company.

Team of ideas

It is advisable to designate professionals with the expertise to screen these ideas, mature them, leave them totally business-oriented, to transform these ideas into projects that can be tested.

Try, test, make mistakes, try again

Take tests! Put the ideas into action and, if they don’t work, refine them before implementing them in the day-to-day operation. So, try again as many times as necessary and always measure the right KPIs. It is worth remembering that at this stage, having the help of agile methodologies is extremely valuable, to avoid erroneous investments.

Engage and empower staff

There is no point in implementing innovative technologies in systems if employees are reluctant to the idea or even if they do not know how to use and take advantage of them in their entirety. Therefore, it is essential to engage the entire team and disseminate extensive knowledge about these innovations, highlighting the various benefits they will bring to the service of each employee.

Final Thoughts

The process of making a company innovative starts with top leadership having an open thought to the new. Even if it means betting on something intangible in the short term, but which will result in great achievements in the future. Starting innovation focusing only on the immediate financial result is no longer the path to success. But rather polishing ideas in an attempt to solve business problems, proving hypotheses and building goals that can change along the way.

Initially, the return that investment in AI will bring may be difficult to measure, but the advantages are inevitable and not jumping on this wave is a big mistake for the future of business. Being guided only by the immediate benefits is not the best strategy. The key is to bet on short, medium and long-term gains, and adopt methodologies to innovate with some agility. In this way, it is possible to see the beginning of the financial return provided by AI, which can surprise throughout the construction journey, as it is a totally changeable and moldable innovation process.

Do you want to bring technological innovation to your business? Count on Programmers’ expertise, schedule a meeting to understand your company’s challenges.

Diogo Leonardi has been a financial manager at Programmers for over 10 years. Occupying an important role in strategic management, its main objective is to support managers in decision-making through data and generate value for the business. In his free time he always has space to practice various sports and a meeting with the family to enjoy a good restaurant.