34 on routine work and more time on what really matters – and we consistently see that this leads to better and more fulfilling work. People can focus on creativity, judgement and collaboration. A marketer can spend more time on strategy. A clinician can spend more time with patients. A government worker can focus more on outcomes rather than administrative tasks. There’s also a confidence aspect. When people have access to AI that is grounded in the organisation’s data, they can make decisions faster and with greater clarity. It reduces friction in the day-to-day.” It’s this investment in people that ultimately makes the enterprise more innovative, adaptive and competitive. “Organisations today are operating in a much more dynamic environment, whether that’s evolving regulations or increasing customer expectations,” says Hertogh. “The challenge has often been that the signals are there, but they’re fragmented across systems, teams and data sources. AI brings the ability to connect those signals and surface them in real time. For example, in areas like security and compliance, AI can continuously monitor large volumes of data, identify potential risks earlier and help the business respond proactively rather than reactively. “Meanwhile when it comes to customer expectations, the bar has simply moved. Customers expect responsiveness, personalisation and consistency, and AI allows companies to better understand customer intent and anticipate needs to respond in a much more tailored way. “In healthcare, for example, we analysed more than 500,000 real conversations with a generalist chatbot for health queries, and the pattern is very consistent. People are not asking for generic information. They are looking for personalised guidance, help interpreting complex information and support navigating systems that are often difficult to use. They also expect this support to be available whenever they need it. Many of these interactions happen outside of traditional hours, especially in the evening, when access to services is limited.” Fashion brand Ralph Lauren has also put this principle to work. It introduced an AI-powered assistant – called Ask Ralph – to help improve how customers shop online while reducing the effort required to find the right items. “In simple terms, Ask Ralph acts like a digital stylist,” says Hertogh. “A customer can describe what they’re looking for, then the system recommends outfits matching their preferences. COVER STORY “ For the first time, you have technology that can act as a true assistant – helping you think, create and solve problems” KEES HERTOGH, MICROSOFT
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=