Embracing smarter business with AI: discover the power of artificial intelligence

Imagine a scenario where your business operates at full throttle, functioning like a well-oiled machine. Tasks are executed efficiently, flawlessly, and quickly, and you always have access to the necessary data and resources to make well-informed decisions.

This is precisely what artificial intelligence, or AI, can offer. In fact, it is predicted that by 2035, our productivity will have increased by 40% thanks to AI.

AI has already become an indispensable tool in the world of technology and innovation, offering countless opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we work and live. The potential of AI to revolutionise businesses is immense, but what does this mean for your company?

In this article, we explore the many applications of AI: from enhancing your marketing strategies to streamlining your IT processes, from optimising your customer service to boosting your productivity. Whether you run a start-up or a large multinational corporation, AI can elevate your business to new heights. So, what are you waiting for? Stay a step ahead of the competition and discover how AI can transform your business and how you can leverage it to achieve success.

Have you already utilised AI? For instance, have you tried ChatGPT? In recent months, AI, partly due to the arrival of ChatGPT, has been thrust into the public eye. Just take a look at the trend chart below.

(PS: did you know you can chart these graphs yourself? Go to trends.google.com and discover what's going on in your industry!)

According to Oracle, the definition of AI is: "an umbrella term for applications that perform complex tasks that previously required human input, such as online communication with customers or playing a game of chess."

This encompasses the ability to learn, reason, solve problems, and make decisions based on data. It is a system that utilises algorithms and complex mathematical models to learn from all the data sent its way and use it to make even better decisions and predictions.

So it is not about robots and machines gradually becoming smarter than us, becoming self-aware and eventually planning a revolution against humanity. (We're not living in the world of the Avengers, after all.)

However, AI does become more intelligent each time it is used and applied. With every input, 'the computer' learns, making it faster and better over time.

Artificial Intelligence has now become a reality and is here to stay. In 2021 alone, there was a $93.5 billion investment in AI. Like the vacuum cleaner, airplane, and computer were revolutionary when they were first introduced, it is expected that Artificial Intelligence will follow a similar path.

Just as vacuum cleaners, airplanes, and computers save us time and money by executing tasks faster, and more efficiently, AI can do the same. That's why it's crucial to explore AI's potential in your specific industry or field.

Using AI will benefit you both in the short run and the long run by speeding up or even fully automating certain tasks, making things easier and more efficient. A great example of this is the new AI insights tool by Rinkel, launched in October 2023! This speech-to-text or voice-to-text solution supports you and colleagues by writing call summaries and doing topic- and sentiment analysis. Saving you valuable time! Read all about AI insights.

As Oracle's definition already made clear, AI is a broad concept and has many different forms and applications. It is already being used in many more things than you might realise. The following applications already exist right now:

• Machine learning: Machines learn to discover patterns based on large amounts of data and become better at it, without developers necessarily updating the algorithms. An example of this is Netflix's recommendations for TV shows and movies you might like based on your viewing history.
• Speech recognition: Think of Siri or Google Assistant that listen along with you and can respond to what you ask or say.
• Computer vision: Computers interpret images and recognise what's in them. You can find this in newer cars for example, which recognise traffic signs and help you drive safely.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP): This form of AI is often found in chatbots and ChatGPT. It learns to understand and interpret human language and thus provide answers to your questions.
• Expert systems: Computers integrate the knowledge and experience of experts in certain domains and use this to make decisions. This is used, for example, in the medical industry, where machines are used to analyse images and make diagnoses based on them.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being widely used. With the ongoing launch of new tools and expansion of existing ones, such as ChatGPT 4.0, this will only increase in the coming months and weeks.

We will guide you through several AI applications and how you can easily and conveniently apply them to your business.

Every business needs marketing, so we'll start with examples that are guaranteed to be applicable to everyone. With AI, you can:

• Write articles faster
• Create social media posts (both text and images)
• Brainstorm (so even if you're a freelancer, you have someone to generate ideas with)
• Quickly and easily gain new insights for your market research
• Get help with segmenting your target audience

Or check out the chart below from a Salesforce study showing how 6,000 marketers across 35 countries used AI in 2022. You can imagine that these percentages have only increased by now!

Do you work in IT or deal with things like PHP, JSON, & CSS? Then these AI applications will also be handy for you:

• Use various tools to have your code written (whether it's 100% 'beautiful code' is debatable, but it will definitely work!)
• Rubber ducking! Use AI to gain new insights and solutions for problems in or with your code. Think of it as an additional colleague.
• Let AI write your Pull Requests
• Create test scenarios to ensure that your code covers everything and works flawlessly
• Speed up programming by receiving real-time suggestions on your code and avoid having to set up the same basic syntax repeatedly.

Keeping your customers satisfied and well-informed is, of course, crucial for any business. You can use the following applications within your customer service to speed up, simplify, or fully automate processes:

• Automate reports on the most discussed topics or even specific questions, so you can improve communication and your website.
• Let AI prepare difficult texts or conversations, such as explaining to a customer politely that they won't get a refund for a cancellation within 24 hours.
• Gain new insights to learn from, like the sentiment of a chat or a conversation.
• Have AI monitor chats and provide suggestions for responses, to speed up and improve your customer service.
• Reduce pressure on your team by using smart chatbots that handle initial questions for you, such as collecting order details.

Artificial intelligence is new, and there are still many developments and applications to come. This field is constantly evolving: in a few years, we'll be able to do things with AI that we can't even dream of now. However, this makes it all the more important to become familiar with AI as early as possible. It will make it easier for you and your business to keep up with the trend as AI continues to expand.

And fortunately, getting started with AI in your business is very simple! You don't need any technical knowledge.

The tool we primarily recommend for this now is ChatGPT. Although there are many different platforms and apps, ChatGPT is incredibly comprehensive and applicable across all industries, sectors, and departments.

But most importantly, ChatGPT is user-friendly and free, making it the perfect first introduction to artificial intelligence.

ChatGPT is part of OpenAI and can be thought of as a chatbot. It is a form of "Natural Language Processing (NLP)", which was briefly mentioned earlier in the article. NLP involves understanding and interpreting human language to provide answers to your questions or issues. It is so advanced that you can truly see it as an extra colleague or an extra pair of hands/eyes.

Here's how to get started with ChatGPT:

1. Go to chat.openai.com and create a free account.
2. Start your first chat and give it a try!
3. Begin using ChatGPT by asking it to create a social media post about your business, or ask how it can improve one of your texts. Gradually integrate it into your daily tasks. Where you used Google before, you can now use ChatGPT for many applications! You'll be amazed by the possibilities.

Just as Google has many smart tips & tricks to quickly and efficiently find the right answers, there are also handy features with ChatGPT. You can ask it for suggestions on your existing text, or you can give context and demands. This often leads to better answers.

Note: ChatGPT doesn't have real-time data and can generate errors. Be vigilant about this. ChatGPT's most up-to-date data comes from 2021. It's also important to note that ChatGPT is currently being used extensively and may not always be able to handle the demand. This means that ChatGPT might not always be accessible.

What do we mean with giving context and demands? Let's look at a scenario:

Without giving context and demands, a regular chat message:

Input:
"Write a social media post about entrepreneurship."

Output:
"Are you a born entrepreneur? Or do you dream of starting your own business? Entrepreneurship isn't always easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding. It requires hard work, perseverance, and creativity, but it also gives you the freedom to chart your own course. Are you ready to take the leap? #entrepreneurship #ownbusiness #hardwork #perseverance #creativity #freedom #daretotakeaction"

When we further specify, and provide context and demands:

Input:
"You are a social media expert with years of experience in LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram. Write a social media post about entrepreneurship, including a short bullet list of 3 items in your post and provide 5 important hashtags that should be used. It must be linked to Rinkel, a business phone solution for small entrepreneurs and freelancers, which is also your target audience. Also, provide an example of what kind of image or video should go with it. I want it to be a fun post, so not sales-driven."

Output:
"Are you an entrepreneur or freelancer looking for a business phone solution? Did you know that Rinkel offers the perfect solution for small business owners? With Rinkel, you'll always be reachable and can easily manage your business calls. But entrepreneurship is more than just being reachable, it also requires creativity, perseverance, and courage. So, here are 3 tips for entrepreneurs:

• Stay innovative and keep evolving
• Maintain a strong online presence
• Invest in yourself and your network

#entrepreneurship #smallbusinessowners #freelancers #businessphonesolutions #reachability #creativity #perseverance #courage #innovation #onlinepresence #investment #network

For this post, an image of a creative workspace with a mood board or a whiteboard displaying the tips would be suitable. This could be an inspiring and fun image that appeals to the target audience."

You can see that the output is much longer and more detailed. You have specified your requirements for the post and its purpose. Clearly defining 'rules' when asking ChatGPT for something is crucial to ensure you get the most out of the tool.

The more you use tools like this, the easier it becomes, and the more you will see that ChatGPT and AI will save you time and money! This is just one application of ChatGPT, as Jeroen said, you can use it for many different aspects within your business operations.

Are AI applications expensive?
The costs vary depending on the application. Some AI programs are free or offer a free trial period. However, you will also come across paid programs. Generally, AI programs are affordable and provide a good ROI for small businesses.

Is using AI safe for businesses?
Yes, most AI programs are safe to use. To be sure, you can always check the data processing agreement, privacy terms, and general terms and conditions.

What benefits do AI tools offer for small businesses?
AI tools help you save time and money by automating repetitive tasks, providing more (and new) insights into customer behavior and performance, such as your website or specific products. These tools help you generate revenue more efficiently.

How can artificial intelligence help with making strategic decisions?
Artificial intelligence is a combination of algorithms and complex mathematical models. This makes it very suitable for making analyses and predictions based on data, which you can use in your strategic decisions.

Will AI replace my job?
AI can automate, simplify, and speed up certain aspects of your job. However, it's important to realise that AI is a tool and not capable of fully replacing humans. Use AI to your advantage, and you'll find that you become more efficient and no longer need to perform certain tasks yourself.