What Is AI Maturity in Marketing (And Why It’s Now a Board-Level Issue)
Since the launch of AI chatbots like ChatGPT in 2022, AI seems to have found its way into every aspect of our lives. It’s not just our personal lives that it now resides in, but our professional ones, too – and they’re not just simple chatbots anymore.
Microsoft and Google have fully integrated AI into their apps and services with Copilot and Gemini, respectively, giving users quick access to things like quick summaries, but also the ability to create new documents and meetings with context provided through their workspaces. It has transcended into a level of assistance that previously only humans could perform.
If AI is beginning to replace previously human tasks, it’s no wonder that stakeholders are beginning to question how far the rabbit hole goes.
AI maturity, our topic of discussion today, is the process by which a business moves from the initial experimentation (using AI e-mail summaries) to fully automated processes throughout the business.
What is AI Maturity?
AI maturity, in a nutshell, is the measure of an organisation’s ability to effectively adopt, integrate and scale artificial intelligence across various aspects of the business. To do this, a company must develop a clear AI strategy that aligns with the business’ goals, develop policies to ensure the safe and efficient use of AI, and train staff to get the most out of AI in a way that protects the business’ integrity.
Why is AI a Board-Level Issue?
The topic of AI has been bubbling under the surface at many organisations for a while, with huge mega-corporations like Amazon using it extensively throughout their operations. For SMEs, AI might have been filed under “look at this tomorrow” in the list of priorities, but unfortunately, in the case of AI, tomorrow has arrived faster than anticipated. It’s now a board-level issue that has to be addressed sooner rather than later.
Competitive Advantage
The early adopters have been reaping the benefits of AI for years, ironing out the initial errors and fine-tuning processes to ensure that AI works for their business. However, it’s not too late for you to start the process and get ahead of the competition that are still sitting on their hands.
Cost Efficiency
Cloud-based AI integration doesn’t require large investments; that investment has already been made by companies like OpenAI, Google and Microsoft to deliver inexpensive solutions on a global scale. Through cost-efficient subscriptions, companies can begin to see the savings in both time and money by automating aspects of content production, analysis and optimisation.
Risk & Governance
AI isn’t without risks. If done incorrectly, it can take away from your brand’s identity and cause legal issues via GDPR breaches. It’s important to assess your AI implementation in full and ensure that training is provided to cover all bases.
With a clear AI strategy as part of your AI journey, your business can inform the team of AI’s benefits and its drawbacks.
Organisational Transformation
AI is an umbrella term used to describe computer systems which handle complex tasks that were previously exclusive to humans. Effective research of AI tools can lead to transformations across the business; AI is most effective when a blanket approach is avoided in favour of a tailored rollout unique to each department’s needs.
How Businesses are Measuring Their AI Maturity
There are multiple factors to assessing the AI maturity of a business, it’s not all about how long your team have been using ChatGPT, it goes far deeper than that. Models that assess AI maturity will look at how well integrated AI is within your business – is it so well integrated into your processes that it’s second-nature, or is it limited to individual tasks at the discretion of your team? Is there a clear and strategic plan for how AI is used throughout your business? These factors align to create a clear image of your business’ AI maturity.
Download Your Free AI Maturity Assessment
To know how well integrated AI is with your business, you need access to a handy tool that does all the heavy lifting for you – and that’s just what we’ve put together.
In our free AI Maturity Assessment, you can determine how far along in the AI journey your business is.
AI maturity is a clear differentiator that sets your business apart from competitors. While AI is busy automating processes, your team can be focusing their efforts on tasks that AI cannot perform, providing even more efficiency that can be passed onto clients
For more information on how you can improve your AI maturity, get in touch with the team at BANC, who can discuss the options that are right for your business.
