Experts weigh in on AI for digital natives
In the dynamic landscape of software and digital platforms, the impacts of digital transformation are being felt more acutely than ever before. This is particularly true for startups and digital natives — companies that are born in the cloud, conduct all their business online, and have no physical location for sales or customer service. These companies are well-positioned to aggressively implement new and emerging technologies, disrupt traditional industry structures, and create novel markets in the process. Inspired by the ways that AI technology and shifting consumer expectations are redefining the digital ecosystem, we connected with three industry thought leaders to discuss the trends that digital-native professionals are talking about today.
Improving customer responsiveness through AI
Across almost every industry, consumers say rapid responsiveness is crucial to customer service—and that’s nothing new. People want companies to value their needs and satisfaction. But Jay Baer, renowned entrepreneur and expert on customer service and business growth, says that business leaders must prioritize speed now more than ever before. “What the research shows is that today, two-thirds of customers say that speed is as important as price,” Baer says. “Speed has always been a key part of customer experience, but today I would say that it is perhaps the most important element.”
Retention is becoming as important as new customer acquisition, and the ability to provide fast, responsive service is a competitive advantage. In response, more businesses are turning to AI to deliver an excellent customer experience.
Get the full conversation between Baer and Angela Cooper, General Manager of Customer Success, Software, and Digital Platforms at Microsoft.
The AI-enabled future of cybersecurity
AI is influencing aspects of businesses beyond customer service. New capabilities, like those offered by ChatGPT, are leading to improvements in cybersecurity as well.
Jo Peterson, Vice President of Cloud and Security Services at Clarify 360, describes a multitude of ways that businesses can use ChatGPT to boost their cybersecurity efforts. For example, Peterson says, “You could use ChatGPT to find security flaws in existing APIs and analyze your APIs for operational issues, but it can also help you understand where flaws might exist in your code.”
Businesses are also using AI technology to make better-informed security decisions. Peterson says, “AI-enabled features can help security analysts in analyzing and reporting on security threats in the wild, which will lead to faster discovery and ultimately, faster remediation of the exposure to those threats.” In turn, customers benefit from increased efficiency and stronger security strategies.
At the same time, digital natives are seeking solutions to help them navigate the complexities of our modern technological age. Mark Pullen, General Manager of Enterprise Security, Software, and Digital Platforms at Microsoft, says that simplifying the complex is a core focus for those familiar with the massive amounts of security data now available through AI. These businesses are looking for tools that are built on a strong foundation of efficiency, security, and privacy, like the recently debuted Microsoft Security Copilot.
Gain more insight from Peterson’s full discussion with Mark Pullen.
How businesses can navigate the rise of AI
What defines a highly effective approach to implementing AI technology? Ultimately, it comes down to going beyond the basics and using AI to completely reimagine possibilities rather than replicate past efficiencies. Understanding how to maximize existing data is the first step forward.
“Data is still a real challenge in a lot of different ways,” says Maribel Lopez, Founder and Principal Analyst at Lopez Research. Once a business is positioned to gather actionable insights from existing data, it can discover an entirely new realm of opportunities. ‘“You have to have the right people in the room to pull together the IT and line-of-business executives and say, ‘What are the problems we’re trying to solve? What are our key performance indicators, and how do we think AI is going to push those forward?’” says Lopez. Additionally, addressing the ethical aspects of the intersection between data and AI—including the importance of accurate, non-biased data—will be a crucial focus area now and in the future.
See the full conversation between Lopez and Rob Lawrence, Rob Lawrence, Account CTO, Software & Digital Platforms at Microsoft.
New and emerging technologies are transforming business as we know it
Technological innovation is reshaping operations and customer expectations alike. And for businesses that want to stay a step ahead of competitors, tapping into these innovations is essential.
Find out what leaders from digital native companies said about their sales, marketing, and service strategies for 2023.
