The AI Revolution in Business: Why You Need a Digital Sherpa

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, business owners and marketing executives face a unique challenge: keeping pace with artificial intelligence while managing their core responsibilities. As WSI's Chief AI Officer, Robert Mitchell, explains in the latest AI Sherpa Podcast episode, "When it comes to other types of technology over the years, I mean, industrial revolution all the way through to personal computers, those technologies have given you time to adopt... Not so with AI." Curious to learn more? Read on or watch the podcast here.

The Race Has Already Started

The most important thing to realize is that the race has already started: "It's like if somebody were to say, hey, I wanna run a race, and they show up at the race track, and the race started three hours ago, and there are people almost at the finish line now," Robert notes.

That's the current state of AI adoption in business.

Whether you're a business owner focused on operations and growth or a marketing executive juggling multiple campaigns and initiatives, the AI revolution waits for no one.

Small to medium-sized business owners managing teams of 10-30 employees and seeking growth opportunities often find staying current with AI developments overwhelming while running daily operations. Similarly, marketing leaders accountable for ROI and managing internal teams need efficient solutions that deliver results without adding complexity to their already full plates.

Why Your Business Needs an AI Sherpa

As you wouldn't navigate complex legal matters without a lawyer, businesses today need expert guidance to harness AI effectively. "If you don't have a Sherpa... if you don't have some advisor or consultant that is navigating the different solutions products, just technologies capabilities of AI and how it applies to your business, then you're not going to be able to stay in the loop," Robert emphasizes. 

Here's why having an expert hand at the wheel is so important: 

• Time and Focus: While you're managing your core business responsibilities, AI capabilities continue to evolve rapidly. Your AI Sherpa stays current with these changes, so you don't have to.
• Strategic Implementation: What might appear as a simple tool today could be tomorrow's game-changing solution. 
• Efficiency and Cost Savings: With proper AI guidance, tasks that previously took months can now be accomplished in minutes, allowing for better resource allocation and improved ROI.

The Impact on Marketing and Content Creation

AI presents unprecedented opportunities for marketing professionals concerned with delivering results and improving ROI. Modern AI tools can generate on-brand content, create consistent marketing assets, automate routine tasks, and provide data-driven insights for better decision-making.

As Robert explains, "You can give [AI] your brand guidelines, you give it the color scheme of your brand, and then it can do on-brand content creation... what was just a kind of a fun thing a year ago is now actually actionable by marketing departments."

Moving Forward with AI

The key to successful AI implementation isn't just about adopting the technology—it's about fostering what Robert calls "AI intuition" within your organization.

As Robert explains, "We don't come into the organization with all the answers. We come into the organization... we want to upskill the existing employees, permit them to use the tools in AI, and then watch them run, watch them blossom."

This means:

• Empowering employees to explore and suggest AI solutions
• Taking a bottom-up approach to AI implementation
• Focusing on practical applications that solve real business challenges
• Maintaining a balance between automation and human touch

Conclusion

In this fast-paced digital era, having an AI Sherpa isn't just about staying competitive—it's about survival. As Robert says, "You'd be a fool, absolute fool, to not employ the smartest person in the room. And so AI has gotten to the point where it's getting smarter and smarter, and each model has gotten better and better."

Don't wait until you're too far behind in the race. The time to embrace AI is now; with proper guidance, you can turn this technological revolution into your competitive advantage.

Are you looking to navigate the AI landscape effectively? Contact WSI-Summit  today to learn how we can help you harness the power of AI for your business.

About the Author

Cheryl is the Director of Marketing and Communications at the WSI Home Office. She has experience in inbound marketing, content marketing & social media marketing.