Avoid These Common Mistakes When Using AI

One of the biggest innovations in retail has been the quick adoption of artificial intelligence technologies. Yet, there are three common mistakes to avoid when business leaders harness the power of technology and AI specifically, whether you work in my industry or any other industry using AI (and you’d be hard-pressed to find one that isn’t). 

Mistake: AI without human insight and interaction. There are certainly many tedious tasks that AI, and specifically generative AI, can do for all of us, in some cases more accurately and quickly. But let’s face it: GenAI has limitations. It lacks judgment, has a limited understanding of context and is only as good as the data it’s trained on. This is changing rapidly and it’s going to get dramatically better and faster. But it’s also important to note that GenAI is trained on existing patterns and information, and it builds ideas from them. For outside of the box, truly brand-new thinking, that’s what humans are good at doing.  

It would be a mistake to substitute AI for human leadership. We believe the power of GenAI is fully realized when we combine the strengths of our people and our tech. Ideally, the technology helps free associates from mundane, repetitive tasks, so they have more time and headspace for innovative thinking and problem solving. And, while our AI-powered chatbots engage customers, we also prioritize in-store interactions. The goal is to create seamless experiences that blend technology and human assistance. 

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I’ll give you one simple example from my world of product at Walmart. Let’s say you want to throw a unicorn-themed party for your toddler. You’ve always been able to walk into a Walmart store and ask an associate for help with where to find the appropriate décor --balloons, streamers, maybe a colorful cake and glitter. But now, you can also use GenAI to ask the same query on Walmart.com. Rather than running several separate searches for paper napkins and more, you can do one search such as “what items should I buy for a house party with a unicorn theme?” That’s the goal: Your experience may be enabled by technology, but it’s led by human thinking. This, of course, is just the beginning. GenAI advances in the retail world will get better to someday be on par with the conversation you might have with an associate in store.  

Mistake: AI without proper training. OK, let’s say that you’ve embraced the philosophy of human-led AI in your organization. The next step is to ensure you have proper training in place. Training must be interactive, easy to understand, relevant to everyone’s day-to-day jobs, and continually updated.  

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We’ve all sat in on mandatory trainings throughout our careers. They can be boring, overwhelming, or even ignored. Your AI training is too important to fall into this trap. Think about how you can show, not tell; demonstrate, not train. 

I’ve found that speaking in too much jargon about AI doesn’t resonate with anyone until you show them what it means. Many associates have told me that our hands-on approach really brings GenAI to life. The best way to experience this is firsthand. Putting our associates in front of the technology not only gives them an idea of what it can do, but we get unfiltered ideas on how it can be even better. We can test, learn, and improve without limitations. 

Mistake: AI without properly communicating to all audiences about your perspective. This perspective is great, but how are you communicating your overall position on AI? That shouldn’t be the job of a single person or department. Every senior leader in an organization should take the lead in communicating far and wide to all audiences: customers, associates, investors, and stakeholders.   

You must make sure to articulate your commitment to privacy, data security, and your overall perspective on using technology, with all its promises, risks, and limitations frequently. It is not good enough to share just a single blog post or mention it once in response to a question. Your position on technology, specifically GenAI, should be continually expressed to all audiences. Stay ahead of the curve, doing everything you want with GenAI but also keeping data safe.   

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GenAI can be very powerful for your organization with the right approach, articulated clearly and frequently. The path ahead is an exciting one, and I cannot wait to see what we achieve, not just at our company, but in our entire industry and beyond.