Jason Pikoos Elevating your Business with AI
I’m thrilled to join Material Handling Wholesaler as their newest columnist. I jumped at the opportunity when Garry Bartecki suggested I help address readers’ AI-related questions. As a Partner at Connor Group, I’ve led many business transformations, technology strategies, and automation efforts, enabling companies of various sizes to grow, drive profitability, and improve cash flow.
This experience has given me firsthand exposure to the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation. As a guest columnist, I’m excited to share how even the simplest forms of AI can be transformative, making our organizations more efficient and resilient.
Current Trends in AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology allows computers to perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence, such as reading, writing, pattern recognition, problem-solving, and decision-making. Additionally, the AI ecosystem is broad, encompassing a variety of technologies with different capabilities. Here are a few important technologies to be aware of:
- Generative AI (GenAI) can create new content, such as text, images, or music, by analyzing and mimicking patterns from existing data. It “generates” new outputs based on the information it has learned.
- Machine Learning (ML) is a method of teaching computers to learn from past data to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed. For example, ML can analyze past sales data to forecast future sales.
- Large Language Models (LLMs) are advanced AI models trained on vast amounts of text data. It can understand and generate human-like text, making it useful for tasks like answering questions, writing essays, reading documents, or summarizing information.
Although AI technology might seem complex and unapproachable, it’s already embedded in many applications we use daily. For instance, Netflix employs ML to recommend shows based on your watch history, and Amazon uses GenAI to summarize product reviews. These AI-enabled functions contribute to a seamless and user-friendly experience.
However, it’s not only tech consumers who benefit from AI; numerous organizations are also reaping its rewards. A recent Connor Group survey found that 78% of respondents plan to adopt AI, highlighting that this technology is here to stay.
Practical Applications of AI
A common misconception is that large IT departments and expensive resources are required to implement AI in your organization. This does not have to be the case—there are several tools that are relatively inexpensive, easy to deploy, and can significantly increase efficiency and productivity.
Here are some practical uses for AI in your daily operations:
Simpler uses:
ChatGPT and other LLM-powered Chatbots can be leveraged for the following tasks:
- Document & Content Creation: Generate detailed policies, standard operating procedures, marketing materials, emails, etc.
- Document Summarization & Data Extraction: Transform lengthy contracts into digestible summaries, highlighting key terms and pull data points (e.g., prices, products) with ease.
- How-to Guide: Are you struggling to figure something out? Ask your AI—it can recommend step-by-step technical guides, ways to solve system issues, etc.
- Meeting Assistant: Use AI capabilities within communication tools like Zoom and Teams, for automated summaries and action lists.
More complex uses for AI:
- Accounts Payable Automation: Automate vendor invoice processing and matching to purchase orders.
- Predictive Analytics: Examine past data and predict future outcomes such as customer upsell, potential machine issues, product returns, etc.
- Recommendations: Optimize warehouse operations and recommend on-hand inventory and/or buying levels.
- Customer service management: Support your agents with quicker access to large volumes of technical documents or facilitate direct customer interactions for support or sales.
These are just a few examples and there are countless ways organizations can start utilizing AI to realize meaningful gains.
Which Tools Should You Start With?
To embark on your AI journey, start by exploring accessible AI tools with straightforward use cases. Here are several options to consider as you explore AI technologies:
- Chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Edge Chat (included in your Microsoft Edge browser), and Claude – most of these are available in free, premium, and enterprise versions.
- Microsoft Copilot provides AI across all Microsoft Office products (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.). It is available for individuals or company accounts with a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan.
- Purpose-built tools help with specific tasks such as document management or customer service applications. An example is VIVI from KSG, which can help organizations (typically $50M+ in annual revenue) with sales, support, customer services, etc.
- AI in your existing system. Most modern technologies are rapidly adding AI capabilities, so I recommend reaching out to your software providers. You might get some exciting features for free!
A Few Words of Caution
The top two concerns surrounding AI are the AI making mistakes and data confidentiality.
Firstly, if you are using Generative AI, you will find that most of the time, it provides accurate information. However, at times, it can hallucinate, providing inaccurate or entirely made-up information. You must always ensure there is a human-in-the-loop – someone to review the AI-generated outputs to ensure they are accurate, especially for business-critical decisions.
Secondly, many of these AI technologies can gather, save, and use the data you provide, which could include sensitive or proprietary information. Enterprise versions, purpose-built tools, and applications from Microsoft tend to be more secure. Ensure you understand how any data you input is being used, and be extra careful with any private or highly confidential information. There are very secure AI options – make sure you know how your AI tools operate.
Future Trends and Best Practices
In summary, AI is a practical tool that offers many benefits that are accessible to businesses of all sizes. Looking ahead, AI integration in daily operations will become increasingly sophisticated, with advancements in predictive analytics, AI assistants, and robotics. Staying informed is the key to staying ahead—invest some time each week to explore AI developments on LinkedIn (feel free to follow me), read my upcoming articles, and subscribe to AI newsletters.
If you have any questions, contact me at [email protected]. I would be happy to answer them.
About the Author:
Jason Pikoos is a Managing Partner and leads Connor Group’s Technology and Innovation, including AI-driven solutions. He brings over 20 years of accounting, operational, and technology experience, working with high-growth and technology companies. Jason is a leader in helping companies drive operational excellence through process improvement, technology and automation, data and analytics, and effective governance.
