The secret to a successful business AI strategy in the UK
Artificial intelligence has become impossible to escape. The technology has been embedded into everything from messaging apps to design platforms, and with good reason. There is great value to be unlocked from AI, especially for businesses. However, for those who have yet to incorporate the technology into their day-to-day operations, this can understandably seem like a daunting task.
The importance of focusing on AI adoption
The UK is home to world-class businesses, but AI adoption among them remains very inconsistent despite heavy investment across firms. This is because, while many are excited by the prospect of what AI can do for their business, they lack a clear strategy on how the technology can actually be incorporated long term.
UK businesses have spent on average £15.94m on AI this year, a report from SAP and Oxford Economics shows. What’s more, companies expect to increase their AI investments by 40 per cent in the next two years. Over 75 per cent of UK executives believe AI will generate a positive return within one to three years, and over half believe it delivers returns faster than any other technology.
But despite their enthusiasm for the technology, AI adoption remains fragmented. Just over 40 per cent of businesses say their investment in AI is “piecemeal” while 37 per cent of them say it’s department led and 15 per cent said the investment is ad hoc. Most surprisingly, only seven per cent are pursuing AI through a strategic, enterprise-wide plan.
Many employees are enthusiastic adopters of the technology as over two-thirds (68 per cent) of organisations say staff are turning to unapproved “shadow AI” tools. This comes as more than half (60 per cent) of organisations admit that their staff have not completed comprehensive AI training, which is essential for safe and productive experimentation with AI.
How to unlock the full value of AI
So, how can companies bridge the gap between their enthusiasm for AI and practical application?
SAP is Europe’s largest software company by market value, and more importantly, a trusted and reliable name in the sector. By partnering with SAP, UK businesses can establish a unified, cross-functional AI strategy, invest in data and therefore build on their internal capabilities.
SAP apps power mission-critical business processes that generate huge amounts of rich, contextual business data. This data feeds SAP’s Business AI, enabling real-time intelligence, which is then embedded back into the SAP applications that help run a business, achieving growth.
Crucially, it means SAP Business AI fully understands the processes and data that underpin a business. With SAP Business AI, you get a single interface that unifies all your workflows and data across your applications, leading to greater security, time savings and improved user experience.
The platform also offers access to Joule Agents, SAP’s role-based AI assistants that can help boost efficiency. Data shows tasks can be completed up to 90 per cent faster using these agents, and generate business insights up to 80 per cent faster. This Business AI works like a teammate, and the AI assistants assist across all business areas, from finance to HR.
AI can generate returns for your business, but in order to guarantee them, it’s important to have a clear, unified strategy that responsibly embeds AI into your workflow. Currently, 70 per cent of UK businesses say they’re not sure whether AI is delivering its full potential. The vastness of AI can make it tempting to delay coming up with a strategy. With the right approach, employee training and by connecting fragmented data, AI can deliver truly transformative results.