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Artificial intelligence has the ability to revolutionize companies. It can automate processes, provide new insights and help employees work more productively and creatively. Nevertheless, many Dutch companies are struggling with the question: how do we ensure that AI has a real impact within our organization?
The key to success lies in two pillars: training, training, training and build, build, build. If you only see AI as a tool and not as a fundamental transformation, you run the risk of falling behind. On the other hand, companies that put AI at the center of their strategy and actively train employees will be the biggest winners.
1. Train, train, train: develop AI skills in every role
The biggest pitfall for companies is thinking that AI is a matter of purchasing and implementing technology. That is a misconception. AI only works optimally when employees understand how to use the right tools and how to use AI to make their work smarter and more creative.
Many companies invest in expensive software, but forget that employee adoption is essential. Training employees in AI is not a one-off course, but an ongoing process that builds knowledge and skills. Only when people understand which tools are relevant to their role, how to use them optimally and what the ethical and strategic implications are, will real change occur.
A good training program includes three essential components:
• Learn and experiment: Give employees the opportunity to try out AI tools in their daily work. This can be done via e-learning modules, workshops or internal AI coaches that help with practical examples.
• Apply in practice: Teams must not only understand AI, but actually integrate it into their work processes. This can be done, for example, by linking specific commands to AI use.
• Share and inspire: Successful applications of AI within the company must be actively shared. Let employees share knowledge and experiences so that others are inspired to get started with AI as well.
AI training as a foundation for AI-first companies
An organization is only as strong as its employees. That's why implementing AI successfully starts with a culture that encourages learning and experimentation. This also means that companies must free up time and space for AI training. Whether this is done through a learning & development program, internal training courses or AI masterclasses, the most important thing is that AI becomes an integral part of how people work.
A good example of this is a Dutch retailer that has integrated AI training into the onboarding of new employees. Every employee immediately learns how tools such as ChatGPT and Midjourney can be used for marketing, customer service and data analysis. As a result, employees not only become familiar with AI, but it also becomes part of daily work processes.
However, with providing the digital tools and training options, there is also an important responsibility on the part of the employee: applying the knowledge to make work better, smarter, more creative and more effective. That is why testing the knowledge and how it is applied is crucial.
But training alone is not enough. In addition to developing AI skills, companies also need to build, build, build.
2. Build, Build, Build: AI at the core of business strategy
AI should not just be an additional tool within an organization, but a fundamental part of how a company operates. This means that companies are not only using AI for small efficiency improvements, but also using AI as a core technology to optimize processes, build new tools, and even automate entire tasks with AI agents.
There are three ways companies can effectively integrate AI into their work processes:
1. AI for process optimization: Work smarter and faster
Companies consist of hundreds of processes. Whether it's sales, HR, finance or operations, almost every process can be organized smarter with AI. Successful companies are constantly asking themselves the question: why can't this process be 10 times faster, better and more efficient?
Take the recruitment process in HR, for example. Traditionally, this consists of several steps:
• Determine what roles are needed and what skills are required.
• Write and publish job content on platforms such as LinkedIn and Indeed.
• Receive applications, evaluate candidates, and invite them to interviews.
• Conduct assessments and competency tests.
• Make and negotiate contract proposals.
• Onboarding new employees.
AI can support you every step of the way. From automated job copy generation and AI resume screening to personalized onboarding programs, using AI allows recruiters to spend their time making strategic choices instead of repetitive tasks.
Another example is sales. Why would a company only send 50 quotes per month when AI can help send 500 without losing quality? AI can help generate automatic customer profiles, write personalized proposals, and optimize emails based on conversion data. This is how AI can increase sales directly.
2. Building AI tools: Generic vs. customized solutions
To use AI effectively, companies must make smart choices between generic and customized AI solutions:
• Generic AI tools: These are tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Ideogram, which can be widely used for content creation, image generation and data analysis.
• Customized AI tools: These are AI solutions that are developed specifically for an organization. Think of an AI tool that analyses contracts and identifies legal risks, or an AI system that helps write tenders within the context of a company.
Generic tools are quick to implement, while customized tools are essential if companies want to protect sensitive data, need specific features, or integrate AI into their own IT ecosystem.
For example, we developed an AI tool for contract analysis for a Dutch retail organization. This scans legal documents and identifies applicable agreements within seconds. This provides important insights, saves a lot of time and also prevents human error.
3. AI agents: Complete process automation
The next step in AI innovation is not just automating individual tasks, but having AI agents fully execute processes. These are digital specialists who work as a human employee and can perform tasks independently within an organization. Companies can deploy AI agents using various methods. Low-code AI frameworks, such as Salesforce's AgentForce, enable companies to build and deploy AI agents without in-depth IT knowledge. In addition, there are tailor-made AI solutions such as CrewAI and LangChain, which are specifically developed for business processes that require customization.
AI agents can be deployed in various sectors and departments. In the financial sector, for example, they can be used for automatic invoice processing, where AI recognizes incoming invoices, matches them with purchase orders, and authorizes payments. Within the supply chain, AI agents can analyze inventory data and place orders automatically to prevent shortages, allowing companies to make their logistics processes more efficient. AI agents also prove their value when it comes to planning and scheduling, because they can independently set schedules and adjust them in case of unexpected situations, such as employee illness. For example, a logistics company uses AI agents to maintain real-time contact with drivers and find out the status of scheduled deliveries, so that delays and bottlenecks can be resolved quickly.
For an AI strategy to be successful, it is crucial to find a balance between large, strategic investments and smaller, rapidly deployable improvements. This balance is determined by a combination of Big Bets and Quick Wins. Large investments, such as a fully AI-driven supply chain or an automated recruitment process, can have a huge impact in the long term, but require more time and resources. At the same time, smaller optimizations, such as an AI tool for document analysis, AI-optimized sales emails, or an AI assistant for internal communication, can immediately add value and help quickly integrate AI into existing work processes. Companies that know how to use this balance properly achieve the biggest impact and stay ahead of their competition.
Deploying AI successfully: Get started today
AI offers unprecedented opportunities, but success depends on how well employees are trained and how smart AI is integrated into processes. At AI.nl and The Automation Group, we help companies with:
✅ AI training courses & workshops
✅ Low-code process optimization
✅ Customized AI tools
✅ AI agents & automation strategies
As an organization, do you really want to move forward with AI? Start training and building today — and use AI as your company's digital engine.
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