AI & Emerging Technology
AI is becoming part of the technology businesses use every day.
The challenge isn’t simply figuring out what AI can do. It’s figuring out where it actually makes sense for a business.
DT Support Group, LLC is paying attention to how AI and other emerging technologies are developing so we can better understand the opportunities, the risks, and where they may fit into the technology our customers already use.
AI Should Have a Purpose
There is a lot of information about AI right now, and it can be difficult to separate useful technology from hype.
We believe the starting point should be the same as with any other technology decision:
What problem are you trying to solve?
AI may be useful for some businesses and some tasks. In other situations, a simpler solution may make more sense.
The important part is understanding what the technology can actually do, what it costs, what risks it introduces, and whether it provides enough value to justify using it.
Where AI May Make Sense
Everyday Business Tasks
AI may be useful for drafting, summarizing, organizing, brainstorming, or working through repetitive tasks. The value comes from whether it saves time or improves the work.
Microsoft 365 & AI
AI is becoming part of familiar business tools. We are following developments in Microsoft 365 and related platforms to understand how they may affect employees’ work.
Information & Knowledge
AI may help employees organize, summarize, search, or work with information more efficiently. Sensitive and confidential information requires added care.
Automation
AI can sometimes work with automation to reduce repetitive work. The goal is to simplify a process or save meaningful time.
Employee Productivity
Some tools may help with writing, research, organization, communication, and routine tasks. Their usefulness depends on the work, people, and environment involved.
What’s Coming Next
New tools and capabilities will continue to appear. We are watching for developments with practical implications for businesses.
AI Comes With Questions, Too
Using AI isn’t only about what the technology can do.
Businesses also need to think about what information is being entered into an AI system, who has access to it, how it is being used, and what company or customer information should remain protected.
That makes AI part of the broader technology and security conversation.
Before introducing an AI tool into a business environment, it is worth understanding how the tool handles information and what controls are available.
Start With the Business Problem
Before choosing an AI tool, ask:
- What are we trying to accomplish?
- What takes too much time today?
- What work is repetitive?
- What information are we trying to work with?
- Who would actually use the technology?
- What information needs to be protected?
- What would success look like?
Those questions can help determine whether AI is actually the right answer.
Sometimes it will be.
Sometimes another technology will be a better fit.
Sometimes the best decision may be to wait.
We’re Looking at AI From the Business Side
We’re not an AI development company.
Our interest is in understanding how emerging technology fits into the larger technology environment businesses already depend on.
That means looking at questions such as:
- How would a new AI tool fit with the systems a business already uses?
- What would employees need?
- What security considerations should be addressed?
- What would implementation involve?
- Would the technology actually provide enough value to make sense?
As AI becomes more practical for businesses, these are the kinds of questions we expect to help our customers think through.
AI Doesn’t Exist in a Vacuum
An AI decision can affect more than the AI tool itself.
It may involve computers, Microsoft 365, cloud services, networking, security, applications, user access, data, and the way employees work.
That’s why AI can sometimes become part of a larger technology conversation.
DT Support Group can help businesses look at the bigger picture and determine how emerging technology may fit into their existing environment.
Have a Question About AI?
You don’t need to have a plan before you start a conversation.
Maybe you’ve heard about an AI tool and aren’t sure whether it would actually help your business.
Maybe you’re concerned about employees using AI.
Maybe you’re simply trying to understand where AI fits into the future of your business.
Tell us what you’re thinking about.
We’ll start with the situation and work from there.