AI and Intuition: how to get more time and space back in business
Artificial intelligence (AI) and intuition, how can these possibly mix?
When I shared in my The Flow Business Accelerator course how to use AI in business and the power of using it the participants were blown away by how it can save time and money and actually make SPACE for our intuition to be fully expressed.
You might feel that AI is new, but it isn’t and this article may be a big realisation that you actually use AI more than you think already in your business and in your life.
I know many entrepreneurs are scared of AI so I’ll share my point of view on the opportunities I see with growth in AI, how I use it in my business currently and see clients using it and why it is an opportunity to connect more with your intuition.
I run my business with both AI and intuition, what about you?
What is AI?
So everyone is starting to talk about AI now as a buzzword for the last few months with ChatGPT but it has been in our life for way longer than that. You may not have realised it before.
AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence to complete, such as understanding natural language, recognising images, and making decisions based on data.
There are different types of AI, including:
Rule-based AI: where the machine follows predefined rules to make decisions.
Machine learning: where the machine learns from the data and makes predictions or classifications based on that learning.
Deep learning: where the machine learns from large amounts of data using artificial neural networks that mimic the structure of the human brain.
AI is used in a wide range of applications, such as speech recognition (Siri for example), image recognition, natural language processing, robotics, and autonomous vehicles, among others. It has the potential to transform many industries and improve the efficiency and accuracy of many tasks. Including your business.
The origin of AI and some examples of early applications
The origins of AI can be traced back to the mid-20th century.
One of the earliest and most famous applications of AI was the development of the General Problem Solver (GPS) in the late 1950s. GPS was a computer program developed by Newell and Simon that used a set of rules to solve complex problems that were previously thought to require human intelligence.
During the following decades, AI research made significant progress in areas such as logic, knowledge representation, natural language processing, and machine learning.
It was not until the 2010s, with the advent of big data and advances in computing power, that AI began to achieve breakthroughs in applications such as speech recognition, image recognition, and game playing.
In 2010, one example of AI application was the development of the Watson system by IBM. Watson was a question-answering computer system that competed against human contestants on the game show Jeopardy!
Another example of AI application around 2010 was the development of self-driving cars. Companies such as Google and Tesla began to invest heavily in autonomous vehicle technology, using AI and machine learning to enable cars to navigate roads, avoid obstacles, and make decisions based on sensor data.
I posted on my Instagram Story about my Tesla coming to me without any of us driving in a parking lot and everyone was amazed, but it is not brand new. We drove from Sydney to Byron Bay over Christmas and back and our Tesla would change lanes by itself in traffic.
Last but not least as an example, Amazon uses AI to recommend products to customers based on their browsing and purchase history, while Netflix uses AI to suggest movies and TV shows based on users' viewing habits.
Today, AI is a rapidly evolving field, with a wide range of applications in industry, academia, business and government. Researchers continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with AI, working on projects such as self-driving cars, medical diagnosis, and language translation, among others.
10 examples of AI applications in business (non exhaustive)
Here are 10 examples of AI tools that as an entrepreneur you can use:
Chatbots: Chatbots can help small businesses automate customer service by answering frequently asked questions and providing support to customers. Some popular chatbot platforms include Dialogflow, Tars, and ManyChat. I personally use ManyChat a lot.
Social media management: Small businesses can use AI-powered tools to manage their social media presence and engage with customers more effectively. Hootsuite and Sprout Social are examples of popular social media management platforms that use AI to analyse social media data and suggest content.
Email marketing: AI can be used to personalise email marketing campaigns and improve engagement rates. Platforms such as Mailchimp and Hubspot use AI to analyse email campaigns and suggest improvements to increase open and click-through rates.
Accounting: AI-powered accounting tools can help small businesses automate financial tasks such as invoicing, bookkeeping, and tax preparation. Examples of AI-powered accounting tools include QuickBooks and Xero.
Sales and lead generation: AI can be used to analyse customer data and generate leads for small businesses. Tools such as Clearbit and Lusha use AI to collect and analyse customer data and provide insights that can be used to generate new leads.
Transcription tools: AI-powered transcription tools can automatically transcribe audio and video recordings into text, saving entrepreneurs time and effort. Some examples of transcription tools include Otter.ai, Trint, and Descript.
Scheduling tools: AI-powered scheduling tools can help entrepreneurs automate appointment scheduling and reduce the time spent on administrative tasks. Tools such as Calendly and x.ai use AI to analyse calendars and schedules to suggest meeting times that work for everyone.
Virtual assistants: Virtual assistants, such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, use AI to help entrepreneurs automate tasks such as setting reminders, checking the weather, and making phone calls. These tools can help entrepreneurs save time and stay organised throughout the day.
Content creation tools: AI-powered content creation tools can help entrepreneurs generate blog posts, social media content, and other types of marketing materials more quickly and efficiently. Tools such as Copy.ai and Articoolo use AI to generate content based on user input, such as keywords and topics.
Data analysis tools: AI-powered data analysis tools can help entrepreneurs analyse large amounts of data and extract insights quickly. Tools such as Google Analytics and Tableau use AI to analyse data and provide visualisations and insights that can help entrepreneurs make better business decisions.
So how can these create more space and help you use your intuition more?
Why is it an opportunity for you to use your intuition more than ever?
These are just a few examples of AI tools that entrepreneurs can use to save time and streamline their business operations. It improves efficiency and productivity. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY make space for you to connect with your intuition and do what you do best as an entrepreneur: BEING A VISIONARY.
AI is freeing up time for entrepreneurs by automating routine and repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-level tasks that require human intuition and creativity.
When entrepreneurs have more time to connect with their intuition, they can make more informed and insightful decisions that can have a positive impact on their business.
For example, by automating administrative tasks such as scheduling, invoicing, and data analysis, entrepreneurs can spend more time on activities that require creative thinking, such as product development, marketing strategy, and customer engagement. They can also use their intuition to make more informed decisions based on their experience, expertise, and intuition, rather than relying solely on data and analytics.
Moreover, AI can help entrepreneurs make better decisions by providing them with real-time insights and data analysis. With AI-powered analytics tools, entrepreneurs can quickly analyse large amounts of data and gain insights that would be difficult to uncover through manual analysis. By leveraging AI, entrepreneurs can make data-driven decisions that are informed by both data and intuition.
AI and intuition are two different ways of making decisions in business.
AI is a computer-based system that uses algorithms to analyse data and make decisions based on that data. It is a systematic approach that relies on the accuracy of data and the ability of the algorithm to process it. AI can be used to automate routine tasks, identify patterns in data, and make predictions about future outcomes.
On the other hand, intuition is a more human-based approach to decision-making. It involves relying on personal experience, instincts, and feelings to make decisions. Intuition is subjective and can vary from person to person. It can be used to make decisions in situations where there is no clear data or when the data is incomplete or ambiguous.
In business, AI and intuition can complement each other.
AI can be used to analyse large amounts of data and identify patterns, while intuition can be used to make decisions based on that data and personal experience.
However, it's important to note that AI is not a replacement for intuition, as it cannot replicate human emotions and empathy, which are often critical in decision-making.
Final thoughts
In summary, AI is freeing up time for entrepreneurs to connect with their intuition more by automating routine tasks and providing data-driven insights. By having more time and better information, entrepreneurs can make more informed and insightful decisions that can drive their businesses forward.
Business owners around the world have been blown away by how it can save time and money. But what I love the most, it actually makes SPACE for our intuition to be fully expressed.
If you are not sure how to dive in. Think of an area you struggle with the most when it comes to time, maybe it is your social media, accounting etc. Using the above examples, choose a tool and start having a play around with it, see how it can help you and your business.
For example, maybe you take the longest time getting content ideas for your blog, use ChatGPT to get some ideas and to help with the framework of the blog. That could save you hours and allow you time to add more personality and uniqueness to your content.
How will you use AI in your business?
Resources
The 6 foundation your need to grow your business
The difference between vision, mission and values in business