BYOAI: Bring Your Own.. AI?

Hi folks! 👋 

Mariam Mushtaq here from HR Brain Pickings. Hope you all had a great long weekend! 😊 

In This Edition:

“AI at Work Is Here. Now Comes the Hard Part.”

This just in: 2024 is the year AI at work gets real. Can you believe it? The use of generative AI has nearly doubled in just the last six months, and now - 75% of global knowledge workers are using it. It’s no wonder that employees, feeling the pressure of ever-increasing workloads, are “bringing their own AI” tools to the office. 💼 

This is just one of the few highlights from the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report by Microsoft and LinkedIn. Let’s dive into these findings and see what they mean for us in this edition.

Need AI Help? Join the HR x AI Community 👥 

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of The Shape of Work: AI x HR, a community dedicated to supporting HR leaders to leverage AI effectively.

Why Join?

• 1️⃣ Connect Globally: Network with HR leaders and People Ops professionals worldwide.

• 2️⃣ AI Conversations: Engage in meaningful discussions on the latest AI trends in HR.

• 3️⃣ Expert Support: Get real-time help from AI and HR experts.

• 4️⃣ Exclusive Events: Attend AMA sessions, member-led discussions, meet-ups, and webinars.

BYOAI: Bring Your Own.. AI? 🤔 

Have you noticed more of your colleagues using their own AI tools at work? Well, according to the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report, a whopping 78% of AI users are bringing their own AI tools to the office. This trend, known as Bring Your Own AI (BYOAI), is spreading across all generations.

Ah, all these new trends and buzzwords 😅

Don’t worry, we’ll help you keep up!

You might be thinking - BYOAI is great for innovation, what’s the issue? Well, it can come with some pretty big risks.

Unregulated AI tools can -

• expose sensitive company data to security breaches and compliance issues, making data privacy a major concern.

• plus, when everyone uses different tools without any coordination, we miss out on strategic opportunities and face inconsistencies in AI implementation. 😬

So, what can we do? As HR leaders, it's crucial to set clear guidelines for AI tool usage, promote company-approved tools, and offer regular training on data security and best practices.

Here’s a template I found online that can help you start off → AI tool usage policy

By doing this, we can enjoy the benefits of BYOAI while minimizing risks at work. 📊🔐

Types of AI Users at Work:

According to the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report by Microsoft and LinkedIn, there are four distinct types of AI users in organizations. 👇️ 

Power users report that:

• AI makes their overwhelming workload more manageable (92%) 📑 

• Boosts creativity (92%) 🎨 

• Helps them focus on the most important tasks (93%) 🙆 

• Increases their motivation (91%) 💪 

Power users also exhibit a higher level of job satisfaction and engagement. According to the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report, they are more likely to feel empowered and motivated at work, experience less burnout, and find more enjoyment in their daily tasks.

So, How Do You Become an AI Power User?

It starts with developing some new habits 👇️ 

1. 🔍 Frequently experimenting with AI: The more you play around with AI tools, the more you'll discover their potential.

2. 🔍 Pausing before tasks to ask, "Can AI help?": Integrating AI into your workflow starts with identifying where it can add value.

3. 🔍 Persisting until they get the right AI response: Don’t give up if the first attempt isn’t perfect—AI tools often require fine-tuning.

4. 🔍 Researching and trying new AI prompts: Continuously learning and adapting new AI techniques is key.

According to the report, 66% of leaders wouldn’t hire someone without AI skills, and 71% prefer candidates with AI skills over those with more experience but no AI proficiency.

This underscores the importance of integrating AI skills into your workforce to stay competitive.

So how can organizations empower employees to be AI power users? AI power users thrive in organizations where:

• Senior leaders are all in on AI 🤝: Leadership plays a crucial role in promoting and supporting AI initiatives.

• Managers encourage AI use and its transformative potential 🌟: Managers who see the value in AI and push their teams to explore its benefits create a culture of innovation.

• Training resources are available specifically for working with AI 📚: Providing employees with the necessary training ensures they are equipped to utilize AI effectively.

Let’s make AI literacy a priority and support our employees through this AI adoption journey.

Today’s HR Reads for You 📚️ 

1. 💰️ Employee healthcare costs: Why it might be cheaper for every employee to have their own health plan

2. 🤖 AI Adoption: As leaders push AI adoption, workers are feeling strained

3. 🧘 How managers can combat stress in the workplace by Headspace

📢 Call for speakers

We are thrilled to announce the second edition of The Shape of Work: AI X HR Playbook after the successful debut!

We invite you to apply as a speaker for this virtual mini-conference, designed to keep the HR community at the forefront of AI advancements. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead insightful discussions and share your expertise on integrating AI into HR practices. 🙌 

By participating, you'll help fellow HR professionals leverage the power of AI in their daily workday. 🤝

2-Minute Watch: AI Insights Daily 🔍️ 

From marketing, finance, HR to what not - today's Day 3 of our AI Insights Daily, and we're here to throw some light on how comprehensive is the usage of AI across industries. ⬇️ 

Q: How well do your employees know your organization? 😏 

Use Trivia's customizable quiz templates to enhance internal brand awareness and make learning fun. Launch real-time quizzes directly in Slack and Microsoft Teams with our ready-made templates. For a personalized touch, create quizzes from scratch—craft unique questions and answers effortlessly. 🎉

Ready to strengthen your team's brand connection?

That’s a wrap for today!

Got any additional feedback for me? Let me know! 👇️