How AI Can Change the Way We Work
Over the past six weeks, my colleagues and I have been traveling across the country with a team of industry experts for Sharp Business System’s annual Trusted Connections event series.
While slightly different than the “fall tour” I dreamt of as teenager in a garage band, I’m still checking it off the bucket list.
We were wrapping up our 6th event and my phone was buzzing with notifications of “new survey responses collected” (we ask attendees for feedback after each event). I was anxious to read the results but needed to catch my next flight. I arrived at my gate with 45 minutes to spare before boarding. Rock and Roll dreams completely gone, I opened my laptop, launched the giant spreadsheet of survey results and started aggregating the data into pivot tables like a boss.
Just before boarding, I proudly sent a summary of the results to my boss via email, with a link to the native file.
Initial feedback was great; we received an average rating of 4.88 out of 5 stars. Additionally, positive comments were abundant.
My flight lands, and I brace for the deluge of emails when I turn off airplane mode.
Great news! My boss replied to my message and was equally excited about the survey results, asking me if I had asked Microsoft Copilot to summarize the survey data.
I stopped in my tracks in the middle of the airport, almost causing a pileup.
Why didn’t I think to do that!?
I read through the list of concise bullet points summarized by Microsoft Copilot, and they were spot on (I was super familiar with the data after all those pivot tables).
I was impressed. I also felt a little chagrin, having just attended multiple events highlighting use cases for AI.
This is just a one small example (with a healthy dose of irony) of how AI can change the way we work. Now, I’m challenging myself to ask early and often: “How can AI change the way I work?”
Here are some pointers that I have found useful since then for getting started with AI.
1. Start with Clear Objectives
- Define what you want AI to help you achieve—whether it’s automating repetitive tasks, generating insights, or enhancing creativity.
- Operational or back-office processes that are labor intensive or high-volume tasks, like aggregating survey results, are the perfect example of a clear-cut objective that you can give to AI. For instance, right after I aggregated the results, I also asked AI to put together an executive summary based on those results. It took approximately 10 minutes to do – 1 minute for AI, nine minutes for me to double check the work, but way faster than if I had done this from scratch.
2. Choose the Right Tool for the Task
- Select AI solutions that fit your specific needs. For example, use Microsoft Copilot for summarizing data, drafting communications, or organizing information.
- Look for AI enhanced “Point Solutions” (software designed / pre-configured for specific operational processes). These can often be deployed rapidly, without customization and still deliver significant ROI. Many software tools now have these AI solutions built into the software. Think Square 9’s Inquire AI, which allows users to write intuitive prompts to extract the required data from their documents; the AI Virtual Receptionist for GoTo, a 24/7 smart assistant for answering calls, automating tasks, and improving customer service; and Sharp’s own Synappx Manage AI problem solving feature for service techs who are looking to optimize device maintenance and support.
3. Validate AI Outputs
Very important! AI is NOT infallible. Always review and verify AI-generated results. Use your expertise to ensure accuracy and relevance, especially for critical decisions. Although it was great that AI put together a quick executive summary for my survey, I noticed that not all of the comments I wanted to highlight were easy to find, so I ended up changing the order of the summary to make it easier to read.
4. Protect Data Privacy
Be mindful of sensitive information. Only share data with AI tools that comply with your organization’s privacy and security policies. Luckily Sharp uses Microsoft’s Copilot, which provides advanced AI functionality while maintaining familiar security controls to protect our data.
5. Stay Curious and Keep Learning
AI is evolving rapidly. Stay informed about new features, best practices, and ethical considerations to make the most of emerging capabilities. Continuous education, such as regular security awareness training, is key to understanding how to use AI tech securely and how to avoid ever evolving AI generated cyberattacks.
Work is changing fast, and AI isn’t just a trendy term, it’s a real tool that helps us get things done smarter and faster. At the Trusted Connections events, I had a simple but eye-opening moment using Microsoft Copilot to summarize survey data. It showed me how AI can make everyday tasks easier and give me some fresh insights. If we stay curious, set clear goals, and aren’t afraid to try new things, AI can reshape not just how we work, but how we create and collaborate. The future of work is already here; it starts with asking, “How can AI make MY day easier?”