How to get started with AI for industry and business leaders

For business leaders, adopting AI has grown from a curiosity to an interest to an imperative. AI has developed from a vague techie idea to concrete tools like using AI solutions to deliver better customer experiences or to detect quality defects in manufacturing. The era of AI is here.

It’s important to understand the potential of AI and learn how to make informed decisions about AI adoption and implementation. The benefits of AI in business are more compelling every day. A recent global study by IDC confirms that businesses are eager to adopt AI technology, with 71% of respondents currently using AI tools in their organizations.¹

Even with this momentum, business leaders face challenges when it comes to implementation. Where should you start your organization’s AI transformation?

Learn from Microsoft leaders how to transform your organization with AI

We’ve brought together our AI and industry leaders at Microsoft to share how they think about AI transformation in our video series, Transform Your Business with AI. More importantly, they provide success stories and guidance on how others can align AI technology with their business goals.

To start learning about how AI can transform your business, I recommend you begin by thinking about where your business is today and where it is you want to go. Jessica Hawk, Corporate Vice President, Data, AI, and Digital Applications Product Marketing at Microsoft, will walk you through the key drivers of AI success. She will also provide guidance as you examine what characteristics foster an AI-ready culture.

Whether you lead a healthcare organization or a retail business, the next two topics are top of mind.

1. Responsible AI: Natasha Crampton, Chief Responsible AI Officer, shares principles and procedures followed at Microsoft and how leaders can develop their own AI strategy.
2. Sustainability: Melanie Nakagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer, shares the Microsoft approach to sustainability in the era of AI.

Explore how Microsoft and customers are implementing AI within retail, manufacturing, financial services, and healthcare with our industry-focused videos.

• Retail: Learn how AI is impacting the retail industry with Shelley Bransten, Corporate Vice President of Global Retail, Consumer Goods, and Gaming Industries at Microsoft.
• Manufacturing: Kathleen Mitford, Corporate Vice President of Global Industry Marketing at Microsoft, shares how AI will change the manufacturing industry and how you can partner with Microsoft to prepare your business.
• Financial Services: Bill Borden, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Financial Services at Microsoft, takes you through some of the biggest obstacles facing the financial services industry and shows how AI can help you drive differentiated outcomes for your business.
• Healthcare: Rob Dahdah, Corporate Vice President of Industry and Partner Sales for the Health and Life Sciences at Microsoft, dives into how AI can make a significant impact on the world of healthcare, from more personalized healthcare to more efficient drug development.

Discover the knowledge and resources to adopt AI in your organization

To complement this video series, we’ve released a full training course on our free learning platform, Microsoft Learn.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this course:

1. What is AI and how is it used in business?

You’ll learn the difference between generative AI, machine learning, and deep learning. Plus, you’ll understand how AI works through examples specific to sales, supply chain, human resources, finance, marketing, commerce, customer service, and project management.

2. How can I be sure AI is adding value to my business?

AI technologies can drive substantial value to organizations. Defining an AI strategy specific to your business is so critical. We’ll walk through how to define your strategy, and we’ll examine what characteristics foster an AI-ready culture.

3. How do I know if my business is using AI responsibly?

At Microsoft, we believe that as organizations and society take steps toward responsible AI, we need to continually evolve to reflect new innovations and lessons from both our mistakes and accomplishments. You’ll learn the six guiding principles to develop and use AI responsibly so you can move confidently in your AI transformation.

4. What steps do I take to implement AI in my organization?

Starting with your AI strategy, this module in the training covers assigning responsibilities and empowering workers and subject matter experts to use AI themselves. You’ll also learn to evaluate and prioritize AI investments and establish AI-related roles and responsibilities.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a solid understanding about the practicalities of AI, how you can use it in your business, and how to evaluate it against the principles of responsibility.

Continue learning about AI at Microsoft

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. The rapid rise of advancements in AI and cloud computing make access to technical skills an even more vital part of that mission. Developing proficiency in Microsoft AI technologies empowers you to innovate and accomplish far more than you previously thought possible.  

Today, it’s more important than ever to empower your team to gain the right skills, prove their expertise, and showcase their abilities so you can accelerate implementing AI at scale.

Learn more about generative AI in this training from Microsoft Learn.

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¹IDC Infographic, sponsored by Microsoft, The Business Opportunity of AI, IDC #US51315823, November 2023.