Artificial Intelligence Steering Council

Building Opportunities

Preparing Departments for AI Opportunities

There are many AI platforms on the market today. Some, like Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot are great for general-use cases and can be implemented into normal administrative workflows. Those looking for more nuanced solutions to discipline-specific challenges should first conduct business analysis to better understand your existing workflows, tools and needs. Whether looking for a support-based AI chatbot, project management assistance or data analysis tools, it is important to have a list of expected outcomes as your drivers to assist in understanding how AI may be able to help your department attain its goals.

Suggested Steps for Staff Departments

  • Analyze your unique business processes and workflows to better understand your goals and the expected outcomes that a new technology may be able to provide.
  • Build your own departmental working group to assess opportunities in the use of AI based around your goals.
    • Review existing platforms you use and see what, if any, AI opportunities are built into them.
    • Research the use of AI for Administrative Work to understand how to create efficiencies in your tasks and projects using platforms already provided by Brandeis.
    • Take advantage of university-licensed software that includes AI such as Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Zoom AI, all of which include Enterprise Data Protection to ensure your data is kept within Brandeis.
  • Talk to the Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC) to discuss potential options for starting a project discovery effort for technologies that may fit your goals.
  • Reach out to the AI Task Force with any questions you may have or if you need assistance in finding the right place to start.

Understanding AI for Administrative Work

  • What AI Tools Can and Can't Do in Admin Work - ASAP.org Article
    While AI can revolutionize your workflow, it's crucial to understand both its capabilities and limitations. This article can help you understand the possibilities and the shortcomings.
  • 10 Effective Ways To Use AI for Administrative Tasks In 2024 - Numerous.AI Article
    The amount of AI related content out there can be intimidating. This is a nice simple guide to learn more about ways AI can be used to assist staff in their every-day administrative tasks.