Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer the stuff of science fiction or tech-centric companies—it’s becoming a practical tool for businesses of all sizes, helping workplaces work smarter and more efficiently. From automating routine tasks to improving collaboration, AI is already reshaping how we do business. While some applications of AI are widely known, others may surprise you. Let’s dive into a couple of examples: one familiar and one you may not have considered.
TL;DR
AI is becoming a practical workplace tool for businesses of all sizes. It can automate routine customer-service questions, personalize employee onboarding, improve access to information, reduce manual errors and help teams make decisions faster. The greatest value comes from using AI to support employees—not simply replace them—so people can spend more time on higher-value work and less time on repetitive tasks.
AI in Customer Support: The Familiar Friend
One of the most recognizable uses of AI in business is in customer support. Chatbots powered by AI, like those on websites or customer service platforms, handle common questions and tasks 24/7. These bots use natural language processing (NLP) to understand and respond to queries—such as tracking a package, resetting a password, or checking order statuses
For businesses, this means faster response times, reduced customer service costs, and happier clients. AI doesn’t replace human support but enhances it, allowing teams to focus on complex issues while the bots handle the basics.
Example: An e-commerce business using an AI chatbot can assist customers with product recommendations based on their browsing history, saving time and creating a more personalized experience.
AI in Onboarding New Associates: The Hidden Gem
Now, let’s look at a less obvious application of AI—onboarding new team members. Bringing a new associate into the fold is often a time-consuming process involving paperwork, training, and coordination between multiple departments. But AI is streamlining this in powerful ways.
Here’s how it works:
- Customized Onboarding Plans: AI can create personalized onboarding schedules tailored to the associate’s role, combining job-specific training modules, company culture resources, and compliance tasks.
- Streamlined Access to Resources: AI systems enable seamless sharing of information across departments. For example, HR, IT, and the new hire’s team can instantly access the same profile, so the associate’s email, software permissions, and work tools are ready from day one.
- Ongoing Feedback: AI-powered tools can gather feedback during the onboarding process through automated surveys and analyze responses in real time. This allows managers to adjust training or provide additional resources to ensure the new associate feels supported and engaged.
Example: In a healthcare organization, AI-assisted onboarding could help coordinate approved account setup, training requirements and access requests while established security and compliance controls determine what systems each employee is authorized to use.
Why AI Is a Workplace Game-Changer
AI isn’t just about replacing manual tasks—it’s about making processes more efficient, enabling employees to focus on strategic work, and improving communication across departments. It enhances collaboration by ensuring that the right people have the right information at the right time.
AI also reduces human error, speeds up decision-making with real-time insights, and helps businesses scale without increasing workloads. In short, it allows workplaces to do more with less.
Where Businesses Are Using AI Today
Document and information search.
Employees can ask natural-language questions across approved company documents, policies and knowledge bases instead of manually searching folders.
Meeting and communication support.
AI can summarize meetings, identify action items, draft follow-up messages and organize information.
Reporting and data interpretation.
AI can help translate dashboards and operational data into plain-language insights, trends and suggested next steps.
Workflow automation.
AI can help route information, prepare documents, classify incoming requests and reduce repetitive administrative work.
Sales and customer follow-up.
AI can help summarize CRM information, draft personalized correspondence and identify accounts that may need attention.
How Bishop Business Helps Workplaces Work Better
AI is only one part of building a more efficient workplace. The same principle applies to the technology and processes employees use every day. Bishop Business helps organizations improve workplace performance through copiers and printers, managed print services, enterprise content management and other business solutions designed to reduce friction and improve productivity.
The technology may change, but the goal remains the same: Your Workplace Working Better.
Frequently Asked Questions About AI in Business
What are practical uses of AI in business?
Businesses can use AI for customer support, employee onboarding, document processing, workflow automation, data analysis, content creation, internal knowledge searches and routine administrative tasks.
How can AI improve customer service?
AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can answer common questions, help customers find information and handle routine requests around the clock. This allows human employees to focus on more complex customer needs.
How can AI help with employee onboarding?
AI can help create role-specific onboarding plans, organize training resources, coordinate information between departments and collect employee feedback throughout the onboarding process.
Does AI replace employees?
AI does not have to replace employees. In many practical workplace applications, it is most useful for automating repetitive tasks and helping employees work more efficiently so they can focus on judgment, relationships and higher-value responsibilities.
Can small and midsize businesses benefit from AI?
Yes. Many AI tools are now accessible to smaller organizations and can help improve productivity, customer service, reporting, communication and administrative efficiency without requiring a large technology department.
What should a business consider before using AI?
Businesses should consider data privacy, security, accuracy, employee training, human oversight and whether the AI tool actually solves a meaningful business problem.