with Generative AI
of large generative AI models
Sifting through the crescendo of the focus around it, Generative AI (GenAI) has emerged as not merely groundbreaking; it is fundamentally reshaping a myriad of industries. Even in sectors historically slow to adopt AI innovations, there’s a marked transition towards actively integrating GenAI into their operations. The power of GenAI lies in its potential to swiftly process and condense vast amounts of information, facilitating quicker decision-making and streamlined workflows. This, in turn, empowers professionals to focus on tasks of heightened importance. What’s particularly striking is the modern GenAI systems’ remarkable ability to incorporate context into their responses, rendering them more empathetic and finely tailored to specific situations. This evolution is a testament to how GenAI is paving the way for a future characterized by transformation.
The Power of GenAI Across Industries
When discussing GenAI, it is critical to understand the distinguishing factors that set it apart from other AI tools.
Adaptability and Growth
The adoption rate of GenAI is incredibly high compared to previous AI-driven technologies. Although there was initial excitement around AI circa 2011/12, AI adoption across industries has been slow overall. However, the arrival of generative AI has accelerated adoption, even in sectors that previously resisted AI-centered tech.
Scalability and Integration with Engineering
In terms of scalability, GenAI is taking its early steps. In 2012, the relationship between AI and engineering was quite distant, posing hurdles for scalability. Fast-forward to 2023, industries have recognized that AI, engineering, and design are inseparable. This evolving trend solidifies the importance of prioritizing scalability in developing AI solutions. At Fractal, the cornerstone of our accelerators, products, and solutions rests upon the intersection of the foundational pillars of AI, engineering, and design.
Responsibility and Ethical Considerations
The conversation surrounding GenAI becomes particularly charged when it veers into the realm of responsibility. As AI models step further into the public sphere, the spotlight on data security concerns intensifies. This has led to a hesitancy among organizations and individuals to entrust platforms like OpenAI with their data, fearing potential security breaches. Nevertheless, a glimmer of hope emerges in open-source models, offering promising alternatives perceived as more reliable and trustworthy.
Catching Up to Current Applications
Industries like insurance, pharmaceuticals, and financial services have typically been slow to embrace technological advancements, favoring human judgment and exhaustive review processes. This preference often led to lengthy and detailed procedures. The insurance sector serves as a prime example: even within its historically manual framework, the introduction of GenAI is sparking transformation. Take underwriting, for instance, where companies now recognize the immense potential for automation. There’s a noticeable shift away from solely relying on manual reviews of financial reports. GenAI enables the rapid generation of initial summaries, significantly reducing manual workload. This evolution isn’t about replacing the human role but enhancing the process for greater efficiency.
Similarly, in the pharma industry, creating new drugs requires substantial research, and scientists need to review many medical journals to understand potential drug interactions and combinations, which requires a significant investment of time and effort. GenAI can expedite this process by quickly reviewing journals, summarizing findings, and allowing researchers to focus more on lab work than reading. This efficiency can lead to faster drug development, potentially bringing life-saving drugs to the market sooner.
Creating a Competitive Advantage
For industries that have already adopted the automation power of GenAI, the focus has shifted towards differentiating themselves from their competitors. One example can be found within Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies: using GenAI to optimize product titles on e-commerce platforms can ensure that products are ranked higher in search results.
In all sectors, maintaining a customer-centric focus and being mindful of the customer experience is critical to creating and sustaining a competitive edge. For instance, customers typically do not have assistance while shopping in stores. To address this, retailers are working on apps powered by GenAI that act as retail assistants. These apps guide customers throughout their shopping journey, enhancing customer engagement and overall experience.
Looking to the Future
As GenAI develops, it will further drive industries towards efficiency and innovation. Even the most traditional sectors will begin to find ways to integrate AI tools.
Integrating AI and BI
Remaining competitive demands a keen anticipation of future trends and a deep comprehension of shifting consumer behaviors. Conventionally, social listening has been the go-to for insights into emerging consumer preferences. However, GenAI takes this a step further: automating the analysis of Business Intelligence (BI) reports—traditionally laden with tables and dashboards—it extracts insights and compares data across diverse dashboards. This in-depth analysis presents decision-makers with a comprehensive, panoramic view. Essentially, GenAI breathes life into the long-discussed vision of merging AI with BI. While the industry has long speculated about this synergy, the advent of GenAI has tangibly advanced this vision.
Elevating Customer Centricity
GenAI stands at the forefront of the future of chatbots and other AI-driven platforms. As these technologies evolve, generative AI has immense potential to shape their trajectory. For example, pharma companies are turning to GenAI to deepen their engagement with doctors. With this AI embedded into apps — like question-answer bots — doctors can easily seek guidance when prescribing medications. This innovative approach not only solidifies loyalty but also elevates customer interaction.
Knowledge Retention
One pressing challenge various industries face is the loss of critical knowledge due to employee turnover. As veteran employees retire and new employees onboard, a significant amount of expertise and knowledge is not adequately preserved. GenAI presents a solution to this issue by serving as a means of knowledge retention. Imagine this technology as a “knowledge bot” that serves as a repository, ensuring institutional expertise is not lost to time.
Within the industry, two key departments play a significant role: agencies and underwriting. Agencies drive the industry, employing agents to facilitate sales. Underwriting involves the pricing and risk assessment of insurance policies. Nevertheless, these departments encounter a difficulty associated with an aging workforce, as numerous employees are nearing retirement in their mid-50s. Attracting younger talent to fill these positions has proven difficult, resulting in a knowledge and experience gap. Generative AI can act as a knowledge assistant, which can help address this challenge. Drawing upon the wealth of expertise from seasoned professionals, a digital twin can be created to assist in training new agents and underwriters. Acting as a knowledge assistant, this technology has the potential to significantly boost productivity for the newer workforce in the life and health insurance industry. Discussions and conferences with industry CEOs have revealed that the aging workforce is a primary concern for insurance companies. The implementation of generative AI with knowledge assistants offers a solution to bridge the experience gap and improve the productivity of newer agents and underwriters in the industry.
Elevating Human Input
A common concern is that AI could replace jobs traditionally occupied by people. However, instead of viewing AI’s primary function as replacing human roles, it should be seen as a tool to augment human capabilities and increase efficiency. This augmentation can lead to faster growth and a more sustainable return on investment. The potential for productivity and innovation is vast compared to sectors not employing AI. Therefore, the aim of integrating GenAI into your processes becomes a question of how you can enhance human abilities rather than replace them.
Humans hold a unique, irreplaceable value. While AI has the capability to magnify human efforts — like condensing a task from multiple days to an hour — the necessity for human interpretation and decision-making remains essential.
In essence, GenAI stands to be a pivotal tool for industries aiming to bridge the gap between traditional practices and future needs. Such advancements are not only beneficial for industries but also have broader advantages for society and the economy.
Begin Your GenAI Transformation Here
For industries eager to embrace the potential of generative AI, the journey begins by identifying manual processes that can be optimized. Partnering with AI solution providers can offer insights into the best applications for your specific needs. Remember, the goal is not to replace the human workforce but to enhance their capabilities, making operations swifter and more efficient.
For businesses keen on harnessing GenAI, here is a focused approach:
● Step 1: Automation: Begin by identifying low-hanging fruit in the organization where AI can automate repetitive tasks.
● Step 2: Enhance Customer Engagement: Always keep the customer at the center. Any GenAI implementation should aim to improve the customer experience.
● Step 3: Long-term Focus: Use GenAI to anticipate future industry trends and steer the company in a direction that ensures longevity and sustained competitiveness.
GenAI is heralding a new era brimming with transformative advantages spanning various sectors. Beyond mere automation, it furnishes tools to encapsulate institutional knowledge, predict market trends, and enrich customer experiences, creating a fusion of enhanced efficiency and human-centric value. As industries tap into GenAI’s potential, they forge a connection between time-honored practices and the ever-evolving needs of the future, delivering unparalleled advantages for businesses and society.