Enterprises continue to shape their generative AI strategies, keeping an eye out for pitfalls and ways to address challenges.
Management consulting firm North Highland accelerated generative AI adoption internally earlier this year, operating as “client zero” of automated tools and workflows. The firm is already sharing the lessons it has learned thus far with clients who are undertaking similar projects.
North Highland sought to create an AI plan with strengthened governance practices that would optimize internal efficiency and drive growth. But similar to most organizations’ experience, the road to adoption has its bumps.
“We’re not immune,” David Johnson, VP of Global AI Center of Excellence at North Highland, told CIO Dive. “There was a lack of understanding, a lack of knowledge, and there’s a fear that exists around what AI is and isn’t and the implication for jobs.”
Just 23% of employees feel they have all the knowledge and skills to use AI effectively, according to a Slingshot report published in August. Once a tool is selected, leaders need to create a plan for rolling it out and getting users on board.
One of the main tools in the North Highland’s belt is Anthropic’s Claude. The company uses the core cloud application on the web via an Enterprise plan subscription, and the firm embedded Claude as part of an API powering an end-to-end workflow.
“We began working shoulder to shoulder and by the June-July timeframe, we had a cohort of people that were effective in using the tool,” Johnson said.
The company offered training via workshops as well as direct instruction both online and in person. Employees can review real-world use case scenarios with a spotlight on understanding AI governance, privacy and security.
“We identified a handful of what we call our 'Change Champions' related to AI, and so we focused on them as a kind of cohort,” Johnson said. “We then recruited 300 more people into the process and began to educate them and then we rolled it out ubiquitously across the organization.”
North Highland found its power users, or employees who comfortably and efficiently leverage generative AI tools, are 4.5 times faster at completing tasks than average users, Johnson said.
Employee buy-in
With a clear vision for North Highland’s AI focus cemented in April, leaders moved to select the right set of tools and increase education and training.
The firm credits its early adoption of Anthropic's Claude Enterprise offering, in part, for accelerating employee engagement and workforce buy-in of its strategy.
“Claude gave the process credibility because it was such a great writing instrument compared to Gemini and ChatGPT,” Johnson said. While Johnson said the tool playing field is leveling out, employees saw Claude as an immediate value add in a way that the other tools couldn’t provide.
“We are a content development organization," said Johnson. "So much of what we do is repurpose the knowledge that we have in new and creative ways to help our clients."
Workers can use Claude Enterprise to assist in drafting communications and other reports. Employees also leverage Microsoft’s Copilot and digital twins, often in concert, to assist and speed up workflows.
Workers don’t blindly trust the tools, though. Employees are encouraged to validate, double check and refine generated results before moving forward.
Despite the early productivity gains, some of North Highland's clients are still wary of introducing AI into processes, Johnson said.
“There are clients that definitely don’t want us to use these tools as a part of what we’re doing, and that’s fine and we don’t use the tools,” Johnson said. “We’re transparent with them … so we have that trust and transparency with our clients as we go through this.”
