Have You Set Rules for Artificial Intelligence?

That’s all we need: more rules, right? Well… YES. When we are taking a huge leap with new technology, we cannot afford to let anything get out of hand. And Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just some kind of new mousetrap, it’s set to change the world.

The debate over the uses and dangers of AI rages on, but there is no denying that Artificial Intelligence, whether Predictive or Generative, is a powerful tool that can enhance the productivity, efficiency, and creativity of your staff. AI also comes with some undeniable risks and challenges. Before they get ankle-deep in this technology, businesses need to address and manage these challenges to use AI effectively and avoid unnecessary risks.

Policies & Procedures (P&P) for AI need to be in place. Setting clear and ethical guidelines, or ‘AI rules,’ for your staff interaction is essential. Without these rules, you may not know when AI is being used for business data. Employees may also be nervous about using AI without managerial direction. This can leave them missing out on incredible time savings.

64% of businesses expect AI to increase productivity.

Consider these common-sense tips for setting up AI rules for your staff. These tips can help you harness the benefits of AI while avoiding the pitfalls. It is important to coordinate this effort with your IT support, whether an internal IT Services department or outsourced Managed Services Provider (MSP).

Establish the purpose and scope of AI use.

As with any new tool, you need to have a good understanding of AI and a clear vision for what you expect it to do before you introduce it to your staff. What do you want to achieve with it? How will it align with your business goals and values?

Explain to your employees what your vision entails and keep them involved as you move forward with AI – and seek out feedback. It will help you set realistic expectations and avoid confusion or frustration if you explain how AI will support their work and improve their outcomes.

Create ethical principles and guidelines.

AI can have significant impacts on your staff, customers, and partners, so you need to ensure that your AI use is ethical, fair, transparent, and accountable. Developing a set of ethical principles and guidelines will help you achieve this. They should follow all relevant laws and regulations and reflect your organizational culture and values. You also need to educate your staff on these guidelines and track and enforce their compliance.

Foster an inclusive decision-making process.

Don’t make this a top-down process. When initiating your AI rule-setting, the input from key stakeholders, including employees, will be invaluable in the decision-making process. Gather insights from different departments and roles. See the impact of AI from every perspective. What management thinks is a piece of cake may be a crushing burden to some workers.

Using a collaborative approach will not only enhance the quality of the rules but will fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among staff members. Everybody likes to know that their voice matters.

Roles and responsibilities.

One important, fundamental early step in any process is deciding who does what. AI is not a magic solution that can replace human judgment and oversight. You still need to have a clear division of roles and responsibilities – with accountability. This would be between your staff and the AI systems they use.

Define who handles the following AI system tasks:

Design

Development

Deployment

Maintenance

Auditing

Updating

Define who is accountable for the outcomes and impacts of AI use. Ensure that you support your staff with training, enablement, and change management.

Ongoing support and training.

You empower your staff with the skills and support necessary to work effectively alongside AI by offering comprehensive training programs. These programs should cover the basics of AI technology and its applications within the organization and provide guidelines for AI interaction. Providing ongoing support ensures that employees feel confident and capable in their roles within an AI-enhanced environment.

Focus on data security and privacy.

Vast amounts of data are a major part of what makes AI work. As such, emphasize robust data security and privacy measures. Clearly establish the steps that need to be taken to safeguard sensitive information and enforce adherence to your data protection regulations. Establish a robust cybersecurity framework that protects both employee and organizational data from potential breaches.

Create a feedback loop.
It’s crucial to get feedback from employees about their interactions with AI, so you should create a system for gathering their thoughts, experiences, and opinions. This feedback loop serves as a valuable mechanism for identifying areas of improvement and refining AI rules and addressing any concerns or challenges that arise during implementation. Actively listen to employee feedback to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Regularly review and update your AI rules.

This is important for any category of rules, but especially with something as rapidly evolving as AI, as it requires constant adaptation and improvement. This cannot be viewed as a ‘one and done.’ You cannot simply set up your AI rules once and forget about them.

Review and update these rules continuously to ensure that they stay relevant, effective, and aligned with your business goals and values. Evaluate the performance, outcomes, and impacts of your AI use. This information is necessary in order to make adjustments as needed.

Foster a mindset of growth.

As with every facet of your business, it’s wise to foster a culture of curiosity and a growth within your organization concerning AI. Encourage employees to embrace AI as a tool for augmentation – not as a replacement. Communicate that AI is here to enhance their capabilities and streamline processes. It allows them to focus on more strategic and creative aspects of their roles.