The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Innovation does not understand corporate hierarchy and titles. I saw this firsthand when I led global innovation programs at Cisco and later advised leading Fortune 500 organizations on their AI strategy and AI roadmap. The boldest and most creative ideas always came from a select few employees who saw a problem and had the creativity and business savvy to come up with a solution. They also had the drive, stamina and persistence to get others to join in implementing it.
These people are not necessarily executives or board members. In fact, most are “ordinary” employees who are invested in their work and want to make things work better – for all of us. These internal entrepreneurs possesses a perfect combination of problem-solving skills and creative thinking with a dash of entrepreneurial thinking—a goldmine for any organization in today’s rapidly changing business and technology climate.
Today, intrapreneurs have an unprecedented opportunity to increase the impact of their ideas and boost their careers with the help of generative AI. This is how.
Related: Why Embracing Intrapreneurship Will Cultivate Innovation in Your Company
Making the most of generative AI as an intrapreneur
In the right hands, generative AI is poised to transform business as we know it. McKinsey estimates that technology could inject $2.6 – $4.4 trillion into the global economy each year. For that to happen, however, business needs to change. And they need to change in major ways.
Research shows that at least 40% of employees will need to retrain as a result of generative AI transforming the way we work. In fact, 73% of organizations expect that some form of retraining will be required for all employees.
This creates a perfect opportunity for intrapreneurs to step up their efforts and become an indispensable part of the digital transformation process in their organizations. But first they need to understand what they are working with.
Stay updated
Don’t fall prey to the illusory truth effect. Just because you’re exposed to generative AI on a daily basis doesn’t automatically mean you know how to use it. In fact, most of us are still learning how to best use this technology.
This is because the AI generation is developing at an accelerated pace. For example, while the early natural language processing programs of the 1960s took decades to develop, today we see AI technology making leaps and bounds in progress within weeks. Not only do we now have AI-generated images, text and code, but a few days ago we also saw the first AI-generated short film.
This was unfathomable just a few years ago. The existing capabilities of large language models (LLM) are unmatched and growing. Intrapreneurs who are natural problem solvers simply cannot afford to remain uninformed in this area. You need to stay up-to-date, and that requires constant exposure to technology and experimentation with its capabilities.
Embrace ethical responsibility
The unprecedented opportunities of generative AI also present unprecedented challenges. Compliance and data security are paramount in this context. Before adopting any AI solution, familiarize yourself with your organization’s internal AI governance framework. What are the limitations and best practices that the business has adopted?
Looking beyond your employer, there are also national and state AI policies that businesses must follow to prevent and limit any potential bias or abuse. For example, the European Commission’s AI Act is the first legal framework of its kind to limit and moderate the use of AI in various contexts. A few years ago, the state of Illinois also passed the Video Interview Act, which requires employers who use AI in evaluating applicants’ video interviews to be transparent with them. There are, of course, many other regulations that have been introduced or are underway that will affect how AI can and should be used.
Keeping abreast of your own policies as well as regulatory changes and learning about the possible risks with each new iteration of technology will help you innovate ethically and responsibly.
Related: 10 Simple Things to Remember When Investing in Generative AI
Seek quick profits, responsibly
Generative AI is amazing for introducing quick wins. The threshold for entry is so low that there has been almost unanimous acceptance of positions to perform one task or another. If you haven’t already, take a look at the areas of business where these tools can save you and your colleagues time within your enterprise AI strategy.
In line with the previous point about ethical use, start small. For example, if it takes you 30 minutes to go through calls and emails to prepare for your next call, AI can do it for you in minutes. Create workflows that can replicate these gains across the team. Track everything. Once you have enough data, you can use your proof of concept for company-wide deployment.
Build a coalition of the willing
The greatest benefits of AI come in an interdisciplinary environment. One of the main advantages of generative AI is that it has virtually no barrier to entry. Using human language means technical and non-tech teams have a unique chance to collaborate and innovate together in ways they haven’t been able to before.
Put this to good use by building an exchange of best practices at work and within the wider AI community. Foster cross-functional collaboration where employees have open access to others to ask questions, share know-how, and experiment with new solutions.
Start with a clear goal
Regardless of the benefits AI brings to the table, it will be difficult to get anyone on board unless you have tangible data to demonstrate its value. In this context, it’s not just about whether generative AI can solve a particular business problem (it most likely can). The question here is whether you know how to implement the technology in a way that is both ethical, responsible and non-disruptive to other business processes.
Before taking on a challenge, measure the time and effort it would take you and your team to complete a task without the use of AI. Then measure how AI affects that part of your work. Do the gains justify its use? Also, consider the possible risks and pushback you may encounter from other stakeholders. Address these challenges ahead of time so that you can implement these solutions without much trouble.
Related: The barriers and opportunities for generative AI in the enterprise workplace
Intrapreneurs who embrace AI will become the architects of the future. Blending their flair for creative problem solving with the limitless possibilities of generative AI will be the silver bullet that helps companies survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive environment. This creates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for intrapreneurs to not only stand out, but quickly rise through the ranks. Start small, work responsibly and never stop learning. The rest will follow.
