Is Our Firm Approaching AI Realistically?
Implementing AI is harder than it looks. It’s a tool with so much promise to transform our lives—from taking on remedial tasks to acting as a supercharged thought partner and so much more. But from my conversations with colleagues and clients, it’s also a tool accompanied by a tremendous amount of anxiety. With tools and capabilities seeming to change weekly, there is, rightfully, concern over which privacy settings should be on and whether our private data will be shared. And that’s just scratching the surface. Bottom line is that simply keeping up with the latest technological advancements feels like its own (daunting) full-time job.
Our firm feels it. Our clients feel it. Everyone I know seems to have the same mix of excitement, curiosity, and overwhelm.
Here is the only thing I’ve seen so far that works: focus. It’s that simple. And here at Calkin Public Affairs, our team focuses on the elements that best suit your personal or professional needs.
To help share what is working and what is not, I’m planning to occasionally write a quick-take AI column in the hopes that our trials, errors, and best practices might help others navigate the world of AI adoption.
AI Principles
Let’s start with the basics. Just like starting any new client engagement, internal exercise, or new process, solidifying strategy is a critical first step. What do you hope to get from AI? How will you and your team utilize it to unlock capacity and increase efficiency? Who will be the AI stewards, and how will you stay up on the latest tools, features, and platforms?
All these questions will help shape your strategy and AI principles as an organization, focus on the elements that matter most to your business, and how best to manage it all. At Calkin PA, our AI north stars are:
Unlocking capacity for our team through efficiency and productivity gains from AI.
Delivering better service and results to our clients through advanced tools, tailored offerings, and more time spent on higher-level strategy.
Simplifying processes and workflows for our internal team to streamline operations, marketing, and research within our company.
Equally important is what AI is NOT:
A replacement for thoughts and strategy. It should amplify our expertise, not take its place.
Written, turn-key content that is given to the client. If we give AI slop to our clients, that is not our own words, then why do they need us? AI may be able to create an outline, but it cannot replace the battle-tested experiences gained by our team of expert practitioners. For example, our words and writing style are what stand out in an op-ed and actually get them published.
Marking your principles will help cement the strategy needed to achieve them.
Getting and Staying Ready
So how do teams start? It sounds exhausting, right? And it can be. But a few tips can help:
Pick an Agent – any Agent: After some trial and error, I found I like Claude followed by ChatGPT. Others I know swear by Gemini. Personally, I don’t like the functionality of Co-Pilot on Microsoft. Really, the only way to figure out what you like is to try a handful of agents and see what best meets your needs.
It’s OK to Use Multiple Platforms: Sometimes I start on Claude and then, especially if I don’t get an answer I like, switch to ChatGPT and ask the same thing before comparing answers. They often give me different responses that help shape a more well-rounded deliverable. Don’t feel committed to one platform—this isn’t ‘til death do you part.
Focus: Focus on what matters to your firm and on the areas you need most to find the right programs, LLMs, and agents that will help you achieve your goals. Don’t boil the ocean trying to do it all—it won’t work.
Share the AI Workload: While a basic understanding across the AI spectrum is ideal, split up focus areas by team members, so not everyone needs to spend days and weeks becoming an expert on a wide array of AI tools and platforms. That way, your collective team can deliver in a way that won’t make individuals feel overwhelmed.
Make it Mandatory: Integrate AI learning and implementation into staff meetings and regular one-on-one check-ins. If staff members know it’s important to learn, adoption often follows.
Constantly Re-evaluate: Just as fast as AI tools evolve, so too may business priorities. You may land a new client who requires specific AI tailoring, or your team may change in size, requiring a reshuffling of expectations and priorities. Re-evaluating the latest tools and platforms may better serve you as you evolve.
AI is an incredible innovation, but people remain critical to unlocking its full potential. Don’t forget that, and make sure your teams understand there is value for them in fully embracing it.
I’m looking forward to sharing my firm’s stories on this AI journey and would enjoy hearing yours. Candidly, my favorite part of these emails is when people respond to me with what works (and doesn’t) for them.