Information managers face the daunting challenge of managing an ever-growing volume of data scattered across silos, repositories, and business systems. The sheer number of internal inquiries, legal requests, and external demands from citizens compounds this complexity.
As organisations push towards modern workplace transformation amidst budget and resource constraints, the question arises: how can we unlock operating budgets trapped in outdated systems and embrace more efficient processes?
The stakes are high. Security breaches and exposure risks are escalating, with increasingly stringent legislative and privacy requirements. Many organisations grapple with blind spots, struggling to pinpoint where all their information resides and how it’s being used.
Information management is also no longer the sole responsibility of a dedicated team. Cyber threats, information risks, and legislative obligations demand a collective, team-based approach, especially in resource-strapped environments.
Here lies an opportunity to leverage AI capabilities to enhance information governance.
However, ensuring the reliability and dependability of AI-driven decisions, alongside considerations of risk, transparency, and fairness, is essential. Upholding these principles is crucial when planning and implementing AI technologies to protect communities, citizens, and customers.
Evolution of AI
As AI technologies have evolved, so too have their roles in information management.
- Traditional AI systems use pre-defined rules and algorithms to perform specific tasks. They rely on explicit programming to automate repetitive tasks, such as sorting or organising data.
- Machine Learning (ML) algorithms learn from data to make predictions or decisions. ML can categorise documents, predict trends, and analyse large datasets more efficiently than traditional methods.
- Generative AI creates new content based on patterns learned from existing data. It can generate text, images, and more, providing valuable tools for content creation and data augmentation.
As AI technologies continue to advance, the landscape of information management will inevitably change. To remain effective, information management strategies must be adaptive, ensuring that they can integrate and leverage new AI capabilities while upholding principles of privacy, security, and fairness. Embracing this adaptability is key to navigating the future of information governance.
How can we unlock operating budgets trapped in outdated systems and embrace more efficient processes?
AI and Information Managers: A Powerful Partnership
In this context, AI emerges as a powerful ally for information managers, transforming the way they navigate the complexities of dynamic information governance. The true potential of AI lies in how it can elevate the capabilities of information managers:
- Boost Data Management: Efficiently handle large volumes of data, automating routine tasks so managers can focus on strategic, high-value activities.
- Enhance Compliance: Simplify data governance and risk management, making it easier to ensure compliance with evolving regulations.
- Scale Effectively: Adapt to growing data needs without sacrificing quality, providing scalability as data volumes increase.
Adapting to New AI Tools
The rise of AI brings a shift in the role of information managers. They are no longer just data stewards but strategic partners in leveraging AI to manage information effectively.
New Responsibilities:
- Curating Data for Specific AI Needs: Information managers must tailor data sets to match the strengths of different AI tools. For instance, they should clean and structure text data for LLMs, while ensuring image data is well-tagged for image recognition systems.
- Implementing Governance Frameworks: They must design and enforce governance frameworks that accommodate the diverse requirements of various AI types. This includes setting access controls, managing data privacy, and ensuring compliance with regulations.
Enhancing Information Management with AI
Leveraging Generative AI can transform information management in three critical ways:
- Transform, Enrich, and Classify Content: Analyse and contextualise content, enriching it with additional insights and organising content into more meaningful categories.
- Detect, Manage, and Protect Sensitive Content: AI tools can identify and handle sensitive information, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), ensuring compliance and security.
- Generate Insights from Curated Content Sets: By analysing curated datasets, LLMs offer actionable insights that support informed decision-making and strategic planning.
Where are organisations on their AI journeys?
Our recent webinar with IRMS and RIMPA explored the AI areas above and provided a pulse check on current AI adoption courtesy of the hundreds of attendees who joined and answered our polls. In summary:
Focus Areas:
- 34% prioritise Digital Transformation and Innovation.
- 28% focus on Data Privacy and Protection.
- 16% emphasise Operational Efficiency.
Key initiatives:
- 45% are implementing new technologies and tools.
- 33% are strengthening cybersecurity measures.
- 28% are enhancing data analytics capabilities.
AI adoption in information management:
- 8% have already adopted AI.
- 22% are in progress.
- 27% are in the planning stages.
- 34% see autoclassification as a key area for AI.
Challenges to AI adoption:
- 33% face a lack of expertise.
- 24% have data privacy concerns.
- 18% struggle with integration with existing systems.
Managing the vast volume and complexity of data can be overwhelming, but AI presents an exciting opportunity for information managers. By automating tedious tasks, AI allows managers to focus on high-value activities, such as addressing external inquiries and adapting to evolving legislation. This shift not only enhances decision-making but also ensures compliance in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
Join the Objective team at DigitalScotland 2024 to discuss your information management strategy and needs. You can also discover 4 practical strategies to tackle today’s information governance challenges in our latest insight paper – download here.
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