In today's technology-fueled business landscape, companies are constantly on the lookout for innovative ways to gain a competitive edge. One of the most promising frontiers in technology is generative artificial intelligence (AI). While the potential benefits of incorporating generative AI into the workplace are undeniable, so are the risks. Companies are left to strike a delicate balance between innovation and security as they navigate this new terrain. 

Taking a hard look at the value of AI

Generative AI, with its ability to produce human-like text and assist employees with productivity, information management, creative work, and collaboration, is holding the attention of business leaders everywhere.

And yet, as we all know - there's no such thing as a free lunch.

While companies move to embrace AI, they are also aware of the risks associated with the use of open-source models. Information breaches and the exposure of sensitive intellectual property have made headlines, serving as cautionary tales for those venturing into the world of AI. 

Choose AI tools that are enterprise-ready 

To address these concerns, companies are turning to enterprise-ready AI tools like Microsoft Copilot. That's because Microsoft Copilot for M365 offers a more secure and controlled environment for businesses to leverage generative AI without exposing their valuable data and IP to unnecessary risks. 

The key advantage of Microsoft Copilot is its integration with Microsoft 365, the suite of tools that many businesses already rely on for their day-to-day operations - Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, Excel, Word, etc.

This seamless integration makes it possible for companies to green-light AI while still maintaining the security and privacy of their sensitive information. 

Then, get your house in order

Once you’ve shored up the risks of having internal information shared externally, you now need to tackle the next risk: the wrong internal information being accessed by the wrong employees.

The internal exposure of sensitive employee, payroll, financial, or product information is just as concerning as external leaks. 

If your file and document storage isn’t shored up, now is the time to change that. This entails both a top-down and a bottom-up approach; IT leadership should establish clear document governance policies and end users should be trained regularly on how to properly store and share their files. 

The value of what you get from generative AI is directly tied to the quality of the data you provide. It's the classic "garbage in, garbage out" scenario. Without the right infrastructure in place, companies really can't securely leverage the full potential of generative AI in the workplace. 

How companies are responding & preparing 

Recognizing the urgency to improve user behavior in Microsoft 365, including Teams, companies are building strategies for internal adoption. This shift is important because without the business integration of AI, companies risk falling behind their peers. 

To address this need, companies are enlisting the help of partners like BrainStorm, a purpose-built software adoption platform. BrainStorm offers a comprehensive solution that combines training content, data analysis, and end-user communication to make it easy for IT teams to drive org-wide technology change.  

Learn about BrainStorm's training & adoption playbooks for all Microsoft 365 Copilot, Teams, SharePoint, and more. Schedule time with our team today.