70 VIEWPOINT AI can help to unlock the power of companies’ information assets, but successful implementation requires more than just technological solutions VILLE SOMPPI: M-FILES Solving information chaos with AI Since the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, businesses have been eager to harness the power of the new technology. If used successfully, AI can be a powerful tool for transforming how organisations manage, analyse and leverage their information assets. However, successful implementation requires a holistic approach that goes beyond simple technology adoption. One area which demonstrates the need for a balanced strategy are the productivity applications of Microsoft 365. These apps – including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, SharePoint and more – are used at all levels of most organisations around the world and are simple on an employee and team-wide level. They are, however, only a collection of tools. Businesses still require a strategy to oversee their effective use, and without a clear information management plan, a company of a certain size can accumulate hundreds or even thousands of data silos across different libraries, sites and channels. This makes valuable knowledge harder to find and leverage. AI can help solve the problem of information chaos. Large language models can harvest insights from vast amounts of data and save a tremendous amount of time that workers would otherwise spend searching for information. However, the accuracy of this process is affected by the quality of the data. If none of the content is classified and governed, the AI won’t be able to tell the difference between a poorly written draft and a carefully crafted piece of knowledge from a subject matter expert. For a generative AI app to be successful in addressing information chaos, it requires wellcurated source content to build a robust index and a user prompt bolstered by additional contextual information. Optimally, the prompt offers an explicit context, such as limiting the answer to a specific type of project plan documents. Implementing generative AI for information management therefore requires more than just technological solutions. Businesses must assess their readiness and establish proper governance structures. The first step should be to develop a clear strategy for information management, knowledge utilisation and AI integration. This should align with overall company objectives and clearly articulate how generative AI will contribute to achieving these goals. Company leaders must understand the importance of managing information, and key stakeholders from various departments should be involved in defining this strategy to ensure it addresses their diverse needs and concerns while fostering a sense of ownership across the company. Next, the company should establish and enforce effective data governance processes. Ideally, these should be automated to ensure consistency and compliance. Clear policies should be in place for data retention, organisation, classification and access control. One aspect to consider during this “AI can help solve the problem of information chaos”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=