Kellie Romack, chief digital info officer at workforce automation firm ServiceNow, is a nicely of recommendation for CIOs rolling out AI initiatives, beginning together with her greatest prohibition — automating legacy processes shouldn’t be the correct place to begin.
“The recommendation that I give different CIOs is you need to perceive the consumer, perceive the outcomes, perceive the worth — do not simply begin with the myopic,” Romack mentioned, talking at Gartner’s current IT Symposium/Xpo in Orlando, Fla.
Romack joined ServiceNow in 2022 with a spotlight of “streamlining inner operations,” and took on the position of CDIO about 18 months in the past. As CDIO, she has centered on delivering enterprise-wide digital transformation and bettering each the worker and buyer experiences with AI.
Along with advising CIOs to withstand the temptation to only automate outdated processes with AI, Romack additionally recommends gaining buy-in from the C-suite, specializing in enterprise outcomes, unifying the AI expertise and making AI schooling obligatory for a profitable AI deployment.
Right here is her annotated to-do record.
1. Reimagine, do not simply automate, work
Whereas it may be tempting to layer AI over present processes, that is not the appropriate method, Romack mentioned. With AI implementations, “we have now to reimagine the work,” she mentioned. “You need to attempt to innovate to the brand new,” not automate the outdated.
She encourages CIOs to as an alternative “zoom out” and take a tough have a look at what the enterprise worth will likely be for any AI deployment. That is the method she takes when one division would possibly suggest a use case for AI, however it sadly will not scale to learn the remainder of the group.
“I’ve these troublesome conversations internally, as a result of I am answerable for harmonizing every part,” Romack mentioned.
(Supply: ServiceNow) Kellie Romack, CDIO, ServiceNow
2. Obtain top-down buy-in
CIOs deploying AI of their group can’t proceed with out buy-in from the remainder of the C-suite, Romack mentioned. As soon as a month, she has a gathering with all of the C-suite executives at ServiceNow. Dubbed the “C-Suite Inspection Assembly,” its function is to debate AI adoption, the place ServiceNow is on its AI journey and the way the executives are utilizing AI.
The executives want to know the positive aspects from AI, she mentioned, however the assembly isn’t just about worth. “Worth, scale and outcomes are crucial, however it’s how they’re utilizing [AI] and what they’re utilizing it for,” she mentioned.
ServiceNow additionally has a company-wide AI council of about 20 leaders representing each division, Romack mentioned.
“All people learns from one another, too. We’re prioritizing totally different areas in order that we will be certain that we get probably the most scale,” she mentioned.
By prioritizing scale, Romack signifies that she should weigh the AI wants introduced by the council and decide which use circumstances can have the best impression for probably the most staff.
“Particularly issues which are repeatable — in fact, we should always use AI to do this,” she mentioned. “Then we may personalize [services], as a result of AI is so good at that.” Making a repeatable framework and tailoring it to particular person wants applies to clients, companions and customers.
3. Deal with outcomes
Romack mentioned specializing in AI outcomes not solely pertains to the enterprise worth the corporate as an entire is making an attempt to realize or addressing the wants of nearly all of staff, but in addition understanding the precise issues and desired outcomes of her enterprise friends within the C-suite.
“They’re coming to me with a enterprise downside, and it is our job to deliver these options,” Romack mentioned.
4. Create a unified expertise
Attaining AI adoption and scale requires making a seamless and cohesive consumer expertise, she mentioned.
“If you do not have a terrific expertise that unifies all of it, you are not going to get the adoption, which won’t provide the scale,” she mentioned.
ServiceNow launched “AI Management Tower” a couple of yr in the past as a centralized hub and dashboard for purchasers to handle their AI applied sciences throughout their group. On the dashboard, clients can view their AI technique, AI asset stock, observe the worth of their AI, monitor safety and extra in a single location.
AI Management Tower additionally tracks the efficiency of inner AI use circumstances. Inside AI Management Tower, ServiceNow launched AI Brokers for CRM Buyer Assist. ServiceNow developed the AI Brokers by assembly with service brokers and assist engineers. The ServiceNow group additionally listened in on calls to higher perceive clients’ necessities for managing AI — and began with the corporate’s most advanced IT service tickets. Utilizing AI Brokers for CRM Buyer Assist, the corporate was capable of cut back its response time by 50%, Romack mentioned.
5. Make AI schooling obligatory
AI schooling has been made accessible to the entire group — and it’s obligatory for everybody, she mentioned.
“I am a giant educator, so we moved AI from a ‘black field’ to a ‘glass field,’ after which helped them perceive what we’re utilizing, how we get the worth, and the way we’re scaling it for them, and with them,” Romack mentioned.
The group additionally supplies AI certification alternatives based on worker roles and necessities. ServiceNow College is one other persevering with schooling useful resource accessible to clients and companions, providing some free content material. Based on Romack, the corporate goals to upskill 3 million folks at ServiceNow College in the course of the subsequent two years.
