Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of technological advancements, and businesses have started using it over the last few years to reduce costs, increase revenue, and reduce human error. Unfortunately, many businesses aren’t using AI as they should. The main benefit of AI is to automate repetitive processes, such as data entry and analysis, to allow employees to free up their time for more important business initiatives like building relationships with clients.
Every business, regardless of industry or type, has time-consuming manual processes prone to human error. Automation makes it possible to reduce the need for manual data entry while making administrative tasks more efficient. For example, a business might use an electronic quality management system to reduce operating costs and ensure compliance while increasing efficiency. Meanwhile, other businesses might use intelligent process automation (IPA) tools to capture and analyze data. As AI tools advance, they’ll change how we work, impacting every department and company type. Here are a few ways businesses can use AI:
Customer Experience
Personalization is a crucial part of customer service and marketing. Now more than ever, customers want more personalized experiences, extending beyond using their names when they take to a customer service rep. Today, modern customers expect personalized and customized content delivered straight to their inboxes, and they’re willing to share data for better experiences.
Personalization allows companies to communicate with customers with relevant offers, making them more likely to make a purchase. AI is used to process large data sets and review patterns and trends in customer segmentation. Ultimately, you can use AI to predict consumer behavior and the types of products they’ll like based on previous purchases. Additionally, it can be used to analyze interactions with the business and tailor marketing messaging and offers to increase retention rates and revenue.
Efficiency and Productivity
There are only so many hours in a day, and your employees can’t work 24/7. However, AI can boost efficiency and productivity, allowing employees to accomplish more in a workday with automation. Automating time-consuming tasks allows employees to focus on more important processes, increasing efficiency and adding a boost to productivity while also taking away boring tasks employees likely don’t even want to do.
For example, you can use AI for customer service chatbots and even automate manufacturing processes. Automation performs these tasks to help employees spend their time on activities that can help grow the business, changing how we work. So while AI isn’t an alternative to employees, it can enable employees to do more and perform better.
Business Insights 
As we’ve mentioned, businesses can use AI to analyze data and information that would take humans weeks or even months to decipher. AI can detect data trends throughout comprehensive databases to inform decision-making. For example, you can use predictive analytics to learn more about consumer behavior or find trends in your financial spending. Additionally, in marketing, AI can be used to determine which customers are at risk to improve your retention strategy.
Reduce Errors
Human errors are common, and there’s no way to prevent them. Even the best employees make mistakes because they’re human. AI allows for increased accuracy to reduce errors that can cause significant issues within the business. For example, businesses can use AI with a customer relationship management (CRM) platform to improve the accuracy of communications by reducing the time it takes to communicate and follow up with leads. Additionally, it can improve marketing campaign accuracy by identifying patterns and trends to connect with the right customers at the right time with the right offers.
Workplace Safety
So far, we’ve discussed how AI can improve internal business processes like marketing and data analysis. However, it can also monitor workplace safety to reduce the risk of damage. Businesses can use AI to monitor safety in various facilities like warehouses. Many industries utilize data gathered from cameras, thermometers, motion detectors, and weather sensors. This information is fed into intelligent systems that can identify dangerous conditions and take preventive or corrective actions.
Quality Control
Manufacturers already use machines for quality control. However, Ai-powered quality control software with learning capabilities can improve the speed and accuracy of various quality control functions and protocols while preventing additional costs. In addition, these technologies offer more precise quality assurance as learning models create their own rules.
Inventory Management
AI in business operations can reduce costs associated with inventory machines. With machine learning, AI uses image recognition to increase efficiency and effectiveness throughout several processes. For example, with AI, users can upload images to a tool that detects defects, categorizes products, and labels images for proper sorting. Various apps can also be added to existing stacks or online shops to automatically assign products and reduce the need for manual tagging.
Human Resources
Human resources can also benefit from AI, whether teams work remotely or in the office. For example, AI can analyze candidate profiles and resumes to look for keywords and past work experiences that match various roles. It can also provide network analysis to assign HR teams to become more successful by analyzing various relationships in the business.
Accounting
AI automates time-consuming, tedious tasks. For example, one department that spends a lot of time on manual processes is accounting, which often consists of data entry. With AI, accounting departments can classify files like invoices and bills while avoiding human error. By performing repetitive tasks like recording data, categorizing transitions, reconciling, and entering information from scanned receipts, your accounting team can semi-automate various complex processes like payroll and accounts payable. You can analyze data, learn, and solve issues with AI systems with fewer errors.
AI in Business
AI technologies continue to improve, and companies must make strides to use them to the best of their ability. Many of the systems you already use leverage AI, but new advancements can increase productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness. That said, you should plan how to apply Ai to your business processes and identify ways it can enhance operations.
Ashley Nielsen
Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.