With artificial intelligence programs becoming more prevalent in workplaces across the United States, some small businesses are beginning to adopt AI-related practices in their day-to-day operations.
Sensing the shift, Northern Kentucky University’s BizAccessHub, the university’s small business consulting center, wanted to provide an opportunity to educate Northern Kentucky’s business community on how to use AI to their benefit.
BizAccessHub hosted a Small Business AI boot camp at NKU’s Griffin Hall on Thursday, where attendees explored the practical applications of AI for their businesses. The boot camp featured luminaries such as KR Digital Agency CEO Kendra Ramirez and Painted Bread Marketing Owner Jennifer Panepinto, as well as eight coaches from several regional employers.
The conference featured keynote speakers, hands-on demonstrations, breakout sessions and networking opportunities.
During the conference, Dawn Parks, director of BizAccessHub, touted the benefits of artificial intelligence integration, including the time it could save an employee. Specifically, she noted how artificial intelligence could automate simple tasks, potentially freeing up employees to focus on complex, pressing tasks.
“If you could have more time, wouldn’t that be amazing,” Parks said. “You could work on new products, or how to scale, or how to make sure that you’re pointing in the right direction. You can do different things about employees, you get to add new conversations — there are so many things you can do when your time is freed up.”
Some of the ways artificial intelligence can immediately aid businesses are by improving and expediting many administrative duties in offices, such as creating onboarding, training, and development plans or job descriptions.
Ramirez reminded attendees that they shouldn’t be worried about AI replacing jobs but rather get comfortable using AI to enhance overall productivity. The discourse around AI can devolve into hyperbolic, sometimes apocalyptic rhetoric.
“One of the things that I preach everywhere I go is embracing AI. It’s not about AI coming for your job – it’s about AI coming to your job,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez laid a road map for attendees interested in implementing AI into their company’s operational procedures. The first step is identifying tools that make sense for the business and then identifying tools and use cases. After that, begin studying the “good and bad” of AI, discerning what’s ethical in regard to the business’ industry.
One of Ramirez’s other prominent tips was for business owners to review their current software stacks to see if some programs already have AI capabilities before committing to using or purchasing other tools. This way, the business can eliminate potential redundancies.
“We don’t need one more tool in our lives; it’s so overwhelming, but we’re looking for efficiencies,” said Ramirez.
In the regional education sector, NKU has publicly committed to adding AI-related courses by offering a new interdisciplinary minor in Applied Artificial Intelligence. Classes kick off in the fall of this year.
“It is not just only about artificial intelligence, but automation. How do we automate these simple tasks that take up a lot of our time, or how do we use AI to challenge ourselves to answer complex issues,” NKU Associate Dean Abdullah Al-Bahrani said.
