How do I use ChatGPT to increase productivity?

“Raise your hand if you used ChatGPT last week.”

I was in the audience at a conference where that question was asked about six months ago. A few hands went up. Yesterday, that question was asked to a similar audience. Every hand went up, except for two. This isn’t just locally in Sussex. A Microsoft survey from May shows that globally, 75% of knowledge workers use AI in their daily tasks, with over half having started in the last six months.

Productivity gains from AI

The reason for the massive uptake is simple: AI makes people more productive. However, there’s a stark gap between those who experiment with ChatGPT and those who have had proper training.

Individuals trying to figure it out on their own often report decreased productivity. They find it takes longer to complete tasks with AI than doing them the “old-fashioned way.”

Training saves time and provides immediate ROI

Conversely, those who have undergone training and are at least “familiar” with AI experience the greatest benefits. They report that AI makes their overwhelming workloads more manageable (92%), boosts their creativity (92%), helps them focus on the most important work (93%), and increases their motivation and job satisfaction (91%).

Once they see what’s possible, they start to reorient their work patterns fundamentally. Trained users are 56% more likely to use AI to catch up on missed meetings, 51% more likely to analyse information, 49% more likely to design visual content, interact with customers, and brainstorm or problem-solve.

What do people do with their extra time?

Microsoft’s survey revealed that people repurpose the time saved by AI for high-value focus work, such as creating and consuming information. Our clients have seen similar results. Nobody wants to do dull, repetitive, and time-consuming work, especially if AI can handle it quickly and with equal or better quality.

People prefer to focus on enjoyable and high-value tasks. AI also allows them to impact their roles beyond individual contributions. Microsoft found that AI users are 66% more likely to redesign their business processes and workflows to benefit the entire organisation. We’ve seen that just one or two AI-savvy individuals in a business can streamline processes and significantly impact ROI.

The lack of an AI strategy

A clear AI strategy is the biggest obstacle preventing widespread AI adoption. Without guidance or clearance from the top, employees use AI but keep it under wraps. If leadership doesn’t have a plan, employees get stuck in the “Embarrassment” stage of AI adoption. They know AI can have an immediate impact but worry that using it for important tasks might make them appear replaceable. Over half of the surveyed employees were reluctant to admit using AI for their most important tasks.

This reluctance means businesses miss out on the benefits of strategic AI use and risk data security in an environment where cybersecurity and data privacy are the number one concerns for the year ahead.

I don’t know what AI can do for me or my business…

The most common question we hear is, “I don’t know what AI can do for me or my business.” You can’t have a strategy if you don’t know what AI can do. Here’s how to get started:

1. Identify a Business Problem: Apply AI to specific business challenges. For example, improve customer service call-handling times or create hyper-personalised sales proposals quickly.

2. Top-Down, Bottom-Up Approach: Engage everybody from the CEO to entry-level employees. There’s zero technical requirement to use generative AI and we often find that people who feel they are not technical often find the greatest gains.

3. Prioritise Training: People want to use AI effectively, not on their own or without guidance. Training unlocks their potential and ensures they use AI effectively and with confidence.

How to get started

The demand for AI is growing, and its ability to improve productivity and job satisfaction is undeniable.

To stay competitive, you need to understand what AI can do for you and your business.

To help you get started, we have created a free 1-hour “AI for Work” Training workshop. This hands-on experience will show you exactly what generative AI can do for you and your business. At the end of the session, you’ll have clarity on exactly how you can use it in your business to impact the ROI.

We’d hate for you to feel left behind and see other’s accelerate past you, or for your people to leave for opportunities that help gain the skills they know they need.

If you’d like an online session, you can book it directly at: https://simplerwith.ai/book-ai-training

Or if you’d like a conversation or to arrange an in-person session, book a quick call at https://simplerwith.ai/ai-training-info and we can ensure you get what you need.

Gareth
gareth@simplerwith.ai
07762 526 574