Best practices for integrating AI in business: A governance approach

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has great potential to revolutionize business operations, to drive efficiency, innovation, and improved customer and employee experiences. However, integrating AI into business processes requires careful, intentional planning and robust governance to ensure ethical, legal, and effective use. As a leader in enterprise customer experience (CX), Avaya has a nuanced understanding of the link between thoughtful AI governance and its impact on CX.

For organizations looking to integrate AI into their business – especially in customer service and contact center settings – consider implementing a governance framework and corresponding best practices to maximize the value of your AI investments by enhancing customer and employee experiences. 

The importance of AI governance

‘AI Governance’ refers to the policies, procedures, and structures that oversee the development, deployment, and use of AI within an organization. Effective AI governance ensures that AI systems are used responsibly, ethically, and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

A robust AI governance framework helps businesses to:

1. Mitigate Risks: Identify and address the legal, ethical, and reputational risks associated with AI.
2. Ensure Accountability: Establish clear roles and responsibilities for AI initiatives to guarantee that all aspects of AI governance are cared for.
3. Promote Transparency: Transparency and explainability of AI systems are crucial to the positive reception of these new tools, minimizing skepticism and resistance to adoption.
4. Foster Trust: Build trust among customers, employees, and stakeholders by demonstrating a commitment to transparent, accountable, and responsible AI use.

To be most effective, it is useful to align a governance system with the ‘PAR’ framework, ensuring that it is Proactive, Adaptive, and Reactive: 

• Proactive: AI Governance must look beyond the current legal landscapes, anticipate upcoming changes in legislation, and adopt a broader ethical lens to address concerns that may not have even been under legal consideration at the time.
• Adaptive: Having an agile and interdisciplinary governance program is essential to adapt to rapid changes in the technological and legislative landscapes. It’s clear that AI innovation is continuously evolving at rapid speed with no signs of slowing down, so organizations must be flexible with their governance programs to easily shift with the changing landscapes.
• Reactive: All governance programs must be reactive and prepared to shift their guidelines to comply with existing laws and salient ethical concerns.

Best practices for AI integration

1. Establish a Clear AI Strategy

Before integrating AI, businesses should develop a clear system and strategy that aligns with their overall goals and objectives. This strategy should outline the specific use cases for AI, the expected benefits and risks, and the resources required for implementation.

2. Create an AI Governance Committee

Forming an AI governance committee is crucial for overseeing AI initiatives. This committee should include representatives from various business units, such as IT, legal, HR, customer service, and AI experts. The committee’s responsibilities should include:

• Assessing AI Projects: Evaluating the feasibility, risks, and benefits of proposed AI projects.
• Monitoring Compliance: Ensuring that AI systems comply with legal and ethical standards.
• Reviewing Outcomes: Regularly reviewing the performance and impact of AI systems.

3. Develop Comprehensive AI Policies

AI policies should clearly define the acceptable and prohibited uses of AI within the organization. Key areas to cover include:

• Data Privacy and Security: Ensuring that AI systems handle data responsibly and securely.
• Bias and Fairness: Implementing measures to detect and mitigate biases in AI algorithms and training data.
• Transparency: Providing explanations for AI decisions and making AI systems understandable to users of all levels.

4. Implement Rigorous Quality Checks

Quality assurance is essential to ensure that AI systems function correctly and produce reliable outputs. Regular audits and tests should be conducted to identify and address any issues. For example, in customer service, AI systems should be checked for accuracy in responses and adherence to ethical guidelines.

5. Train Employees and Stakeholders

Employees and stakeholders should be educated about the AI tools at play and their implications, to bridge any potential gap in skills or understanding. Training programs should cover:

• AI Basics: Understanding what AI is, how it works, and its most effective use cases.
• Ethical Considerations: Recognizing the ethical implications of AI use.
• Practical Applications: Learning how to effectively use AI tools in their daily tasks.

6. Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

AI technology and the regulatory landscape surrounding it are constantly evolving, and businesses must remain informed and agile to keep up with these advancements. Encourage a culture of continuous improvement by:

• Staying Informed: Keeping up to date with the latest AI developments and best practices.
• Encouraging Feedback: Gathering feedback from users to identify areas for improvement.
• Iterating on Solutions: Regularly updating and refining AI systems based on feedback and new insights.

Integrating AI into business operations offers immense potential for innovation and efficiency. However, this potential cannot be pursued carelessly, and can only be fully realized with a robust governance framework that ensures responsible, ethical, and compliant use of AI. By implementing this framework, following best practices, and focusing on enhancing customer and employee experiences, businesses can successfully leverage AI to drive growth and success.To