AI was once a luxury exclusively available to corporate giants who could afford to implement it. But thanks to the wave of AI programs becoming readily available, from ChatGPT to Microsoft Copilot, business and IT leaders are under increasing pressure to adapt.
But with new AI tools emerging every day, and a multitude of possibilities to benefit businesses, how can organizations within the channel make sure they’re making the most of this transformative technology?
How is AI transforming the channel?
No question, AI is leaving its mark on all industries – and businesses in the channel are no exception.
With the appetite to leverage cloud technologies and the digital transformation growing in the channel, channel partners need to understand how to use AI responsibly. Sustainably embracing AI will transform your business and ensure long-term success in the channel.
No matter your business, you’re likely already using AI in some way. With advancements such as Microsoft Copilot making it much easier for organizations to do tasks from writing emails to creating reports, it’s no surprise that AI has become the next big thing that all businesses are looking to leverage.
For businesses in the channel, it’s becoming a no-brainer to adopt AI, with the technology predicted to be worth over $158 billion for the channel ecosystem by 2028. The technology reduces manual workloads and empowers channel partners to strategically allocate resources, enhance supply chain management, and swiftly respond to market challenges by better meeting customer demands.
Transformational AI implementation
What does the effective use of AI entail? Businesses throughout the channel should evaluate whether they have the necessary infrastructure for optimal AI use. If they can do this, it paves the path for complete business transformation. Some key considerations for decision-makers include:
Quality data
The outputs that AI can generate are only as good as the data that you’re able to feed into it. It’s vital to make sure that your data is as clean as possible and without duplicates or inaccuracies.
It’s also important to not rush into AI. For an organization to get the best use out of AI, business leaders must assess if their businesses are getting enough data to make it a viable project. Without enough data, it’s harder to get relevant insights, limiting the potential positive impact AI can have.
Alignment with business goals
Before embarking on their AI journey, businesses should align their strategies with their desired outcomes.
Think about how a project can give you a competitive advantage. There’s no point in spending a lot of money trying to achieve something that doesn’t give you valuable returns.
For example, a reseller can use AI tools to analyze market trends and consumer behaviors and determine the optimal price for products at any time. This allows the reseller to set a competitive price without human intuition, bias, or manual effort.
Resource assessment
Assess financial and resource availability for AI projects. Businesses must decide whether they have the resources in terms of in-house expertise, or if it would be beneficial to collaborate with a tech company, for a successful journey towards AI-driven digital transformation.
The latter point may be particularly pertinent for small businesses in the channel that may not have internal expertise in this area. It’s essential to properly consider whether you have the right budget and resources that these projects require.
Ability to adapt with AI
As AI continues to evolve, it’s important for businesses in the channel to be agile and adaptable to technological developments, in order for them to remain competitive in an ever-changing field. Being future-focused is all about ensuring that AI technologies have longevity in business operations and can become truly embedded in processes.
AI is here to stay, so whilst it’s important to start small, businesses should also be future-gazing and prepared for the pace of development in their sector, to keep up with rapidly evolving technologies.
Transforming with AI
AI has the potential to enhance employee productivity, streamline customer interactions, and automate routine tasks, freeing employees to focus on more challenging and rewarding responsibilities. To successfully navigate AI adoption, businesses should consider AI impact assessments, develop AI policies, and stay informed about developing AI regulations.
AI adoption is a pivotal aspect of a business’ journey towards harnessing the transformative power of technology. It not only brings efficiency but also security, ethical use, and long-term success to organizations, both large and small, in the channel.
