Navigating the AI Landscape Insights from the Microsoft Work Trend Index

– 7/16/24

On July 16, Synozur hosted the “Navigating the AI Landscape” webinar, featuring Michelle Caldwell from Synozur and David Maffei of Akumina to review recent research, data from the 2024 Microsoft Work Trend Index (WTI), experiences and recommendations about deploying AI successfully and at scale.

We focused on how forward-looking organizations can make sense of the energetic and sometime confusing published data about adoption of generative AI (“GenAI”) solutions like Microsoft Copilot. We also covered recent customer experience with GenAI rollouts and best practices. Some highlights:

  • AI Adoption: While many are curious about AI, actual enterprise-scale impact is still limited. There's a distinction between being “AI-curious” and effectively using AI within an organization.

  • Generative AI: GenAI is a category within the broader AI landscape – powerful, but not all-encompassing for AI applications.

  • Microsoft WTI Findings: Although Microsoft reports that 75% of Information workers have started to use GenAI, most are using personal tools outside their organization’s awareness or control. This raises concerns about the security, governance, and the lack of strategic plans for AI at the organizational level.

  • Content and Collaboration: Content security and governance are a necessary precursor for successful GenAI deployment, as well as a boon to optimizing personal productivity, collaboration, and communication. Post-pandemic, more than half the workforce is pressured by the digital demands of modern work, and more than half of individual time is spent “working about work” in meetings, emails etc. instead of building and creating new deliverables.

  • Governance, Risk, and Compliance: Don’t overlook putting robust security and risk controls in place before the adoption of GenAI. Many organizations may already have the necessary tools but need to configure them properly and educate their employees.

  • AI adoption and deployment: Michele and David recommend a strategic, targeted, and measured approach to AI adoption, focusing on the business challenges, the user experience, and the value proposition. They also advise leveraging existing capabilities and tools in the Microsoft cloud, and to partner with experts like Synozur and Akumina.

Next steps and resources:

While AI offers significant potential for transforming the workplace, organizations must approach its adoption thoughtfully, ensuring proper governance and education to harness its full potential effectively.

We’re happy to share additional tools and resources to share our understanding of the state of GenAI in the workforce.

  • Akumina platform: Akumina’s platform enables a personalized, contextual, and relevant digital workplace experience that integrates various systems and data sources. It also leverages generative AI to assist the employees, the builders, and the orchestration of actions and tasks. Learn more and see demos at www.akumina.com.

  • Synozur services: Synozur offers a free AI Strategy North Star Workshop to help customers assess their readiness, identify their opportunities, budget, and plan their roadmap for AI adoption. We also provide guidance on data and content governance, security, and migration.

Webinar Resources: