Latest news with #VishalPawar
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Small Businesses Can Kickstart Their AI Journey
Vishal Pawar Chief AI Officer (CAIO) | AI Strategist | Microsoft MVP | Founder 4x SaaS | Microsoft Fabric | Power Platform | Azure Excitement for generative AI (GenAI) is high. A 2024 McKinsey report found that 65% of organizations regularly deploy generative AI. Tools like ChatGPT, which now has over 400 million weekly users as of February, up from 200 million last August, have brought AI to the forefront of public consciousness. And employees want to use it as well, with 70% recognizing the value GenAI can bring in their roles and to their workplace, according to PwC research. The good news is that AI is no longer only for the big tech companies. It's now a productivity accelerator for individuals, small businesses and curious executives. To begin working with AI today, you don't need to learn anything complex. You can start using AI based on curiosity alone and then take small steps. Getting Started With AI: No Need For A PhD The release of several off-the-shelf GenAI tools over the last few years has lowered the technical barrier to begin working with AI, meaning that users don't need to have AI knowledge beforehand. GenAI is very good at several things, and today's are plug-and-play, delivering value with minimal setup. These tools offer small teams big-league capabilities. For example, a non-technical person can use them to quickly automate complex workflows. When seeking out your AI use case, it helps to start with problems. What causes frustrations? What causes lost time? Summarizing meeting notes? Writer's block on social media? Reviewing long documents? Tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot can summarize meetings, drafts reports and analyze data. Do you need content, such as blog posts or images? ChatGPT, Jasper and Writer are capable of creating copy for marketing, blogs or email. Likewise, Midjourney, Adobe Firefly and Canva AI can generate visual content for branding or campaigns. There are also tools for suggesting code snippets and comments, like GitHub Copilot, and automating repetitive admin tasks, such as Zapier AI. One way to start: List your routine tasks and rank them based on time. The list could focus on "repetitive low-value tasks," "skills bottlenecks" or simply "ambiguity." You can also start using AI for brainstorming about how to use AI. Ask a GenAI tool an open-ended question like: "I am a freelance designer, how can AI help me get clients?" or "What are five ways to use AI to enhance my onboarding for new employees?" Taking The Next AI Steps As AI adoption accelerates, getting up to 'AI speed' is no longer optional—it's essential. Organizations must move fast to realize real value. Once you've figured out potential use cases, here are a few topics to begin educating yourself and your team on to catch up: • AI Ethics 101: There are several ethical considerations to make when adopting AI, and these considerations become more complex the further you are in your AI journey. • How To Verify AI Outputs: Always check the responses from AI for potential misinformation or bias. • How To Be Transparent About Using AI: Always disclose the use of AI to customers and end-users. • Keeping A Human-In-The-Loop: You are still accountable for the outputs of AI-based content. The interface might be simple, but that does not relax the assignment. Ethical use is not a hurdle to cross, but has to be a point of trust building. Having strong habits beginning early will help out as you scale usage. AI literacy should include ethical literacy-that means consent, transparency and accountability as it pertains to the deployment of AI tools in your workflow. With AI making decisions for more businesses, the ethical imperative becomes fundamental to successful adoption. For example, experts surveyed by MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group say that ethical AI use and disclosures about its use are essential for building trust with customers. Responsible AI practices must not be bypassed for a sustainable adoption of AI. Taking Your First Step A spark starts the AI journey. Choose a tool. Pick a use case. Test it for 30 minutes. You do not need a strategy document to get started. Accessible tools, simple wins and growing confidence become a powerful feedback loop. Free training, such as Google AI Essentials and Microsoft Learn, may further your skills. This is not just a tech trend; it's a change in how work gets done. The more the work is made collaborative and the quicker decisions get made, the more the benefits are. And the way to begin? One small step, buoyed by purpose and curiosity. The future belongs to those who begin exploring it today. Start small, stay curious and scale responsibly. AI is not the future—it's your present advantage. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Two Pune cops fined ₹5,000 each
A sub-inspector and a constable found themselves on the wrong side of law after additional commissioner of police (ACP) ordered their suspension and ₹5,000 fine each for alerting a hookah parlour owner about raid. According to the order issued by Manoj Patil, ACP (eastern region), recently, the two policemen stand accused of leaking information about raids at 11 places running illegal hookah parlours to owner of one such joint in Wanowrie. According to the order issued on May 6, sub-inspector Vishal Pawar alerted the hookah parlour owner who was found shutting down his unit when a police team reached the premises for raid. Constable Harichandra Pawar had send a WhatsApp missed call to a hotelier before a similar action by the police.
