Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a priority and a key differentiator for companies in every sector of the economy, to the point that it is no longer an exclusive technology for large companies, but is increasingly within the reach of organizations of any type. , including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). So much so that, according to a study carried out by Microsoft, 70% of Argentine SMEs want to adopt this technology.
Digital native companies are much more advanced in their use of artificial intelligence than more traditional companies. And in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and CABA where the use of this tool is more concentrated.
And while 29% of respondents said they would invest in Artificial Intelligence in 2023; 67% estimate they will do so in 2024.
Among the objectives that a company pursues when thinking about AI, at least two stand out: to be more competitive and improve issues having to do with customer service.
“Repetitive and routine tasks can become roadblocks to innovation and growth, which is why implementing AI is a valuable tool for driving growth in MSMEs,” said Marina Hasson, director of SME sales of Microsoft in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Presenting the study which saw the participation of over 100 leaders and decision makers from digital native and traditional local companies, Hasson completed the idea: “The adoption of artificial intelligence allows teams to be freed from these operational tasks, enabling them to focus on more strategic and creative activities.”
Five reasons emerge from Microsoft’s analysis that make Artificial Intelligence a key implementation for MSMEs.
- Motivations for the use of AI: so as not to be left behind competence (59%) e Improve customer satisfaction (49%). 23% invest in this technology motivated by innovation and experimentation.
- Investments in AI and implementation times: The organizations interviewed assign, on average, 26% of the technology budget is dedicated to artificial intelligence. They believe implementation is relatively quick: 52% say it takes 1 to 6 months to adopt AI in their companies.
- Uses of artificial intelligence in SMEs: 46% of companies identify the Customer care as the area with the greatest use or potential for applying AI, with 37% already using virtual assistants for this purpose. Other relevant applications include content generation (43%), work process optimization (41%) and information search on the Internet (40%). Digital native companies show a more strategic approach towards sectors such as IT (27%) and administration (24%).
- Benefits of implementing AI: 84% of companies consider the impact of AI on productivity and productivity It is estimated that the increase in productivity would be 34%. The most cited benefits of AI include improvements in efficiency (63%), customer service (53%), quality of work (84%), customer satisfaction (82%) and staff engagement (70%).
- AI talent and training: 42% of companies believe their employees have artificial intelligence skills, which rises to 57% among digital natives. Almost half of companies have carried out AI training for their employees, although in 42% of cases they do so only for some areas and/or company positions. However, aware of the need to develop talent in this area, 43% plan to invest in the training of their collaborators.
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Source: Clarin
