AI Opportunities for Staff
The AI Task Force has launched a subgroup focused on researching and understanding potential opportunities for staff departments and disciplines to use AI in building efficiencies in every-day tasks and projects and for supporting their communities. Whether you are looking for more information or you just aren't sure where to start, please email us at ai-taskforce@brandeis.edu
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.