AI IS ALREADY IN YOUR BUSINESS. A RE YOU LEADING IT?
I f your business hasn’t started implementing AI, you’re already falling behind. And chances are, your employees are using it with or without your knowledge. While fears of AI replacing humans in the workforce linger, businesses implementing AI into their everyday workflow are painting a picture of higher efficiency, improvement in performance, boosts in profit and advancement in their teams’ professional abilities. Teams using AI have reported higher job satisfaction, better stress management, more passion in their work and a better work-life balance, according to a 2023 Slack Workforce Lab Report. “Ultimately, the businesses that are not enhancing their workforce with AI are not going to be able to compete,” says Casey Wahl, senior AI product manager at Proscia and a founding board member of the Manitoba Association of AI Professionals. AI is revolutionizing the way people traditionally work, Wahl says, and the organizations embracing its use are seeing benefits. According to Wahl, businesses are seeing “massive gains” in cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Her message is clear: if you want to compete in the modern business climate, you have to adopt AI. Michelle Kuly, CEO of Blueprint Inc. and co-founder of Neralake, a Manitoba-based AI platform that simplifies strategic planning and execution, says she leaned into AI early on, recognizing it wasn’t just a new tool but a fundamental shift in how we think about work and get jobs done. Integrating AI into her own business BY ERIN DEBOOY
— often because leaders aren’t sure where to start or what a good policy should include,” Kuly says. “The biggest risk is pretending you can ignore AI. Employees are already using it, and without guidance, it creates serious data and security risks.” When putting an AI policy in place, Wahl typically recommends that legal representation and IT or tech operations meet to define what data can be shared and which tools are approved for sharing it, ensuring the organization’s data remains secure.
not only shaped a path for growth, Kuly says. It allowed them to share what they were learning with clients in a safe and non-intimidating way. “We believe strongly that we can use this tool for good,” Kuly says. “We can put policy around it that is ethical, transparent and manages risk. Our focus is on making sure AI supports people rather than replaces them.” Ready or not, both Wahl and Kuly stress the imperative for businesses to have an internal AI policy in place. ”People are already using AI informally, often without clear guidance or policy. This creates risk, as employees are experimenting without permission
Casey Wahl
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WINTER 2025
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