Why Your Boss Will Ask, "Why Didn't You Use AI? How is AI reshaping businesses? Hint: it's more than just robots taking your job.

Paul Teather, CEO of AMPLYFI, a Cardiff based technology company at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven business intelligence, shares insights on the growing role of AI in the workplace. Teather explains why AI is poised to become as integral to business operations as IT systems, why it's not quite ready to replace human roles (just yet), and why your boss might soon question why you haven't turned to AI for solutions.

AI: Revolutionising Operations Across Industries
Teather sees AI's impact unfolding in two distinct ways. For larger organisations, he predicts that AI adoption will follow the trajectory of IT systems integration, but at a much faster pace. "AI will be seen to revolutionise business operations along two distinct trajectories over the next decade," he said. Within three to five years, AI is expected to evolve from a niche technology to a well-funded, innovative department, ultimately becoming embedded throughout the enterprise.

On the other hand, smaller companies will adopt a more entrepreneurial approach to AI, much like e-commerce revolutionised retail. "AI technologies are anticipated to be leveraged by nimble businesses," he added, noting that smaller enterprises, unburdened by legacy systems, could reshape market dynamics.

Teather believes in the power of AI tools, both for internal operations and customer-facing solutions.

"We're firm believers in practising what we preach so our AMPLYFI platform has been integrated across all departmental functions internally," he explained.

This integration enables the company to refine its AI tools through real-world application while enhancing operational efficiencies across the business.

Related: How Will AI Transform Business Operations in the Next Decade?

AI and the Future of Jobs
When asked about AI's role in the workforce, Teather stressed that AI will augment human capabilities rather than replace jobs. While certain sectors—especially intelligence, consulting, and software development—will see profound changes, he believes the future lies in specialised AI applications that enhance human roles.

"AI will likely augment human capabilities, creating new opportunities while transforming existing roles through increased efficiency and specialisation," he said. He compared this to the current role of algorithmic trading in stock markets, where AI operates in specific, defined scenarios rather than fully autonomous operations.

Ethical Challenges in AI Integration
Ethical considerations are a major focus for Teather and his team. He pointed out that trust in AI systems, especially tools like ChatGPT, is waning among knowledge workers.

"Our own research has indicated that ChatGPT's performance is being observed to erode trust amongst knowledge workers in AI systems," he said, emphasising the need to manage this issue carefully. Another challenge is the potential for bias in AI model outputs. Teather explained that AMPLYFI's research team is working towards reducing bias, aiming to achieve "better than human" bias levels, though this goal is complicated by the inherent biases of human researchers compiling the datasets.

From Novelty to Expectation
Looking ahead, Teather envisions a shift in how AI will be viewed in customer experiences and decision-making. What is now seen as a novel use of AI will become an expectation in knowledge-based roles. "The current novelty of AI usage ('oh, you used AI for that') will be replaced by an expectation of its implementation ('why did you not use AI for that')," he said. In professional settings, not using AI-driven solutions may soon be regarded as a significant oversight, signalling a profound shift in how businesses operate and deliver value.

As Teather's insights suggest, AI is not just a passing trend but a force that will shape the future of businesses, enhancing both efficiency and decision-making while addressing new ethical and operational challenges. For AMPLYFI, the integration of AI is not just about staying ahead of the curve—it's about fundamentally transforming the way they do business.

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