Worldwide, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming industries, from the way we work to how organizations respond to challenges. While executives are exploring opportunities to use generative AI, many organizations continue to struggle to identify the return on investment (ROI) for GenAI solutions.
In fact, Unisys’ recent survey of 250 business executives found that 71% of organizations do not effectively measure the ROI for GenAI. With this realization, organizations have an opportunity to implement practices to better evaluate and understand the costs associated with GenAI, capitalize on its workplace capabilities and identify areas where cost savings are possible to better fuel future success.
Vice President and Global AI Practice Leader at Unisys.
Understanding the upfront costs
The first step to realizing GenAI's true ROI is remembering that while this technology holds great potential to enhance business outcomes, it is not a magical solution that can manufacture instant results. Rather, organizations should treat GenAI like a sophisticated tool that can drive substantial growth to a business’s bottom line—and one that should come with clear cost benefits.
However, these cost benefits are only as good as the effort and intention behind them. Executives need to work with department heads to pinpoint clear, concrete use cases where GenAI could have the most impact. Once the best business use cases have been agreed on, several crucial steps need to be taken before GenAI is even deployed.
The first step, and possibly one of the most important, is effectively preparing data. This involves collecting, cleaning and structuring data to optimize it for AI algorithms. By taking inventory of data sources and documenting formats, structures and storage locations, companies can remove outdated, inaccurate data that could impede AI outputs.
Next, it is essential to establish robust data governance policies to maintain data quality. This can be achieved by setting up validation rules, data archiving protocols and ongoing monitoring. This also includes allocating additional resources to IT infrastructures to help ensure a smooth integration of AI solutions.
Finally, organizational leaders need to direct resources to train staff and help employees use AI effectively and responsibly. It is not enough to make these tools available and expect employees to understand how to use them. It takes time and effort to use GenAI effectively and to get the best outputs possible.
Enhancing capabilities
These initial steps may seem daunting, but once addressed, GenAI can expand your organization’s capabilities beyond what was once considered possible.
For example, GenAI can empower decision making, stimulate innovation and make deep inroads into marketing, sales and R&D initiatives. It can also help organizations anticipate market shifts, adapt to changing customer preferences and optimize supply chains.
The effects of GenAI can be seen across industries. In finance, it is reshaping customer-centric services, simplifying tax preparation and providing effective digital “assistants” that serve as financial advisors. In healthcare, GenAI can enhance personalized care and accelerate drug discovery, helping to save more lives and improve everyone’s quality of life. In the entertainment industry, GenAI can create interactive storytelling experiences that captivate audiences.
We have yet to see how this technology will truly transform businesses, but one thing is for sure – organizations that capitalize on these innovations will set themselves apart as clear market leaders.
Identifying cost saving opportunities
With the power of AI, routine tasks and processes can be made easier, helping organizations cut costs. However, to do so effectively, leaders must pay close attention to which areas this technology should be applied.
For example, GenAI can learn to perform tasks to free up employees’ time so they can focus on more strategic initiatives. Additionally, GenAI can be leveraged across various channels – such as web, mobile, voice and social platforms – to quickly understand and respond to customer queries and requests, allowing employees to focus on more complex tasks.
AI can also be invaluable for identifying internal inefficiencies and helping to develop process improvements, leading to smoother operations, as well as a competitive edge in service delivery. Through intelligent data processing, AI can take internal data insights a step further, pulling information to analyze team performance and opportunities for improvement and providing actionable insights.
Justifying AI investments demands a thorough ROI analysis that considers upfront costs, client benefits, and internal efficiencies. To maximize its value, organizations must set a clear ROI framework that supports overall business objectives. When taking this approach, leaders will not only justify the initial investment but also position their business for long-term success in an increasingly competitive market.
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