Generative AI is the technology that IT feels most pressure to exploit, but nine out of 10 IT organizations can't support the growing demand for AI-related projects. 

A recent survey of 600 IT leaders by Salesforce reveals a new mandate from their bosses: incorporate generative AI into the technology stack -- and fast. The IT leadership survey reveals almost nine in 10 IT professionals can't support the deluge of AI-related requests they receive at their organization. 

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The survey also reveals the following gravitational pull of AI on IT:

• Nine in 10 IT professionals say generative AI has forced them to re-evaluate their technology strategy, shifting their team's mindset around how new technology is onboarded and used.
• 86% of IT professionals say their job has become more important since the introduction of generative AI.
• 68% of IT professionals say their leadership expects them to be experts in generative AI. 

There is strong business pressure to implement generative AI quickly. The survey found that 87% of IT professionals believe generative AI has met or exceeded its hype. Another important finding was that generative AI is the#1 technology IT feels pressure to onboard quickly. And the demand is coming from the top -- c-suite executives are the#1 influencers demanding quick generative AI implementation, ahead of other stakeholders.

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To better understand the demand for deployment of generative AI in the enterprise, I reached out to a global technology leader and innovation trailblazer, Jansen Savic, Global Head of Enterprise Technology at WEX. Savic is a visionary innovator and transformative leader in the realm of digital customer engagement technology. He has spearheaded high-performing organizations and delivered cutting-edge technology solutions across diverse sectors including retail, manufacturing, biotech, and payments. Jansen's expertise lies in scaling technology initiatives to meet the evolving needs of today's dynamic business environment.

 Below are Savic's thoughts on how to develop a three-pronged strategy to accelerate GenAI adoption in your company.

How to accelerate generative AI implementation and optimization 

There is clear evidence that 2024 is the year of GenAI implementations and optimizations. Throughout your company, generative AI (GenAI) is becoming ubiquitous. Conversations about its potential to revolutionize productivity are widespread. Some talk about how their children leverage AI to craft catchy pop tunes or effortlessly draft school essays.

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Although AI technology has been around for a while, its new generative features are enabling productivity gains across all industries. Of even greater significance, AI is powering advancements in all other technology innovation areas. 

On the episode of "In the Know," ARK Invest CEO/CIO, Cathie Wood comments that the convergence of technologies is creating explosive growth and opportunity, with AI serving as the catalyst for innovation and accelerating the development of energy storage, public blockchains, robotics, multiomic sequencing, and artificial intelligence.

With AI's potential now a reality, businesses are grappling with how to effectively implement it. You may be uncertain about how to scale GenAI within your organization, implement AI capabilities for both customers and employees, and fully harness its potential for genuine business value. Rest assured, you're not alone.

The latter part of 2022 introduced us to ChatGPT, while 2023 served as a year of experimentation, prototyping, and proof of concept projects, perhaps even piloting a few use cases.

Now, 2024 stands as the year of GenAI implementation. Here are three strategies to accelerate your Generative AI rollout:

1. Partner with SaaS Leaders who have already mastered the art of building sophisticated Large Language Models (LLMs) and addressing foundational capabilities.

• Just as you should not reinvent CRM, ERP, or HCM platforms, subscribe instead to proven SaaS solutions that offer LLM and AI platforms. These solutions benefit from extensive research and development, and thousands of successful implementations, 

• These providers have already developed foundational capabilities such as security, efficiency, toxicity management, grounding, and zero data retention.

• By leveraging their expertise, you can expedite the deployment of trained models for your most valuable use cases.

• Moreover, a network of implementation partners exists to assist you in rapidly achieving business value.

2.Establish an AI Lab dedicated to driving continuous innovation and ensuring operational capabilities.

• Assuming you've already instituted an AI program complete with governance, prioritization, and measurement frameworks, an AI lab can serve as a powerful accelerator.

• Staffed with architects, innovators, data scientists, quick learners, and developers, the lab can swiftly establish a pipeline that adheres to the design-test-learn-iterate process.
• The ability to rapidly experiment with new features and fail fast empowers the team to think innovatively.
  

• This agility enables you to explore new capabilities, test them within your environment and specific use cases, and expedite the realization of business value.

• An important final step in the lab process is a smooth transition to your operational teams responsible for deploying and supporting the new technology at scale.

3.Foster a culture of experimentation that encourages all employees to explore and fail fast.

• Offer content, training, and opportunities to engage with GenAI technology safely, both in professional and personal capacities.

• Encourage idea generation through a community of practice forums and idea portals, recognizing that some of the best insights come from employees closest to your customers.

• Enhance your Agile frameworks to accommodate your innovation process effectively.

By partnering with SaaS leaders, establishing an AI lab for innovation, and fostering a culture of experimentation, you can accelerate your Generative AI rollout and unlock its full potential for your organization in 2024.

This article was co-authored byJansen Savic, Global Head of Enterprise Technology atWEX. Savic is a visionary innovator and transformative leader in the realm of digital customer engagement technology.

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