Chuck Grothaus
In this post: Artificial intelligence can help employees find answers and reduce routine work. Getting lasting value starts with clear priorities, protected data and a plan for adoption.
AI has become part of our everyday work. We use it to find information, summarize conversations and meetings, and create content. And, in some instances, this is happening long before employers have established guidelines for AI tools.
For IT leaders, the challenge is turning this activity into reliable, measurable results. It all starts with identifying where AI can help, preparing the information it will use and giving employees a clear path to adoption.
Here are several essential steps to keep in mind as your organization implements AI platforms and tools for employee use...
Start with problems employees already face
Two practical applications show where AI can deliver value today: finding information and managing the work that follows a meeting.
In many organizations, information is scattered across file shares, collaboration platforms, email and business applications. Employees spend time searching for documents, checking versions and asking colleagues where to find what they need.
AI-assisted enterprise search can simplify the process. Instead of sorting through a list of files, employees can ask a question and receive an answer with links to supporting sources. When the underlying information is current and accessible to the right people, that can mean less time searching and more time moving work forward.
Meeting follow-up offers another opportunity. Capturing notes, documenting decisions and assigning action items often falls to one participant, dividing that person’s attention between the conversation and the record of it.
AI tools can help create recaps and capture next steps, giving participants more time to focus on the discussion. Employees still need to review the output for accuracy, but the tools can reduce administrative work and make follow-through more consistent.
Both applications address familiar problems and provide a clear starting point for measuring value.
Define the outcome before deploying the tool
Results become less predictable when your organization launches broad AI initiatives without defining what success looks like.
AI needs relevant information, clear instructions and a defined role in the workflow. Without this groundwork, outputs may be generic, incomplete or inaccurate.
Before deploying a tool, ask: What problem are we solving? Who will use it? What information does it need? How will we know it is helping?
The answers to these questions will give IT and business leaders a shared purpose and help employees understand how the technology supports their work.
Build readiness into the rollout
A successful deployment depends on more than the tool itself. Three priorities deserve attention before expanding access.
- Establish governance. Define which tools employees can use, what information they can share and where human review is required. Make these expectations clear and practical.
- Prepare the data. Review permissions, content quality and ownership. AI-assisted search may make existing access problems more visible by making information easier to find. Outdated documents and overly broad permissions can undermine both accuracy and trust.
- Connect cost to value. Understand licensing and usage costs, then decide how results will be measured. Time saved, faster access to information and more consistent follow-through can provide useful measures, depending on the use case.
Readiness also includes adoption. Provide employees with the necessary guidance on when to use AI, how to check its output and where to turn for support. Making a tool available is just the beginning.
Give employees a clear path forward
Waiting to establish an AI plan does not necessarily mean employees will wait to use AI. Some may turn to unapproved tools, creating gaps in visibility and control.
A focused initial plan will give employees at your organization a supported way to get started. Establish a usage policy, identify approved tools and select a manageable use case. Gather feedback, evaluate results and address issues before expanding.
This approach also helps protect confidence. When employees encounter unreliable answers or unclear expectations early in a rollout, adoption can stall. A useful first experience gives them a reason to keep using the technology.
The bottom line? AI will continue to evolve. Your organization can make progress today by solving defined problems, protecting information and helping employees use the tools effectively. These foundations support reliable results and give IT leaders the evidence they need to scale with confidence.
Explore FORTÉ Intelligent Workplace solutions to learn how to prepare your organization for AI adoption.