Diego Gonzalez, CEO of DiFontana
Just like 20 years ago, companies got involved in the Internet, seeding an undoubted revolution and ultimately, changing the world; Today artificial intelligence, AI, puts us at a turning point where we have to decide whether to accept the challenge or be left behind. And if the purpose is to grow, there can be no doubt, the result is today.
Despite the fact that the concept of AI is almost 70 years old, it went viral worldwide until November 30 last year, with Google searches skyrocketing and well-known people and personalities from various fields becoming a part of it. Discussion: OPEN AI Launched, Free, ChatGPT, First Best Approach to AI for Casual Users. Again, the world changed, because this fact brought AI to people, made it easy and close, began to affect everyday places and different industries crosswise, but also provoked an old debate: are they going to change? Machines?
Oxford economist and AI expert Daniel Susskind responds with another question: “In the future, will you be the person competing with machines for a job, or the one designing and operating them?”, meaning whether we will embrace this change or not. Obviously, we have to be part of this challenge and that is the call.
The impact AI can and has already had in many areas is undeniable, improving their processes and making them more efficient and productive: marketing, logistics, people management, customer service, finance, R&D. Even in Education, Business, Tourism, Health, Transport, Agriculture and much more. The possibilities and opportunities it offers are endless.
For example, according to a recent study by Stanford University, customer service agents in an organization that used AI were 14% more productive than those that did not. Information so powerful that Accenture asserts that AI will increase the profit margin of companies that focus on this process by 38% by 2035.
Of course, I reiterate, we are at an inflection point, and now we need to think about how we use AI positively and ethically. It is very important that it is regulated, it is a very powerful technology that can be a great support for productivity and efficiency in business. AI is a tool, a plug-in, soon to be a constant.
So now it’s time to make a decision. We already know that companies that integrate technology into their business core are leading the global market today. However, it is worrying that only 29% of SMEs in Chile are digitally mature, according to data from the Ministry of Economy (2022). That means 70% of SMEs need to step up their digitization.
Therefore, we as a country embrace this opportunity with great energy to be a part of this transformation. This is because there has been negative productivity over the years; Last year, according to ClapesUC, actually fell 5.5%. Taking AI as a great opportunity to grow is challenging, today is the end.
