AI in SMEs: five uses to assess in your business

1. 1.Searching documents

   A document assistant can make it easier to search procedures, contracts or permitted files. The answer must be traceable to its source, and access must respect users' permissions.

2. 2.Drafting replies and summaries

   AI can propose a first text from information you supply. A review remains necessary to check the facts, the tone and any commitments before anything is sent.

3. 3.Extracting information from documents

   Invoices or purchase orders can be used to trial field extraction and filing. The assessment must measure errors and the time needed to correct them.

4. 4.Translating content

   Translation can make work easier in a multilingual setting. Contractual, technical or client-facing texts call for a level of checking that matches their importance.

5. 5.Preparing for a meeting

   A summary of a file can help recall decisions taken and actions in progress. How useful it is depends on the documents available and how current they are.

Setting up a first trial

Define the scope, the authorised users, the duration and the criteria for success. Compare the result with how the work is done today, including the human check and the cost of use. Depending on the results, you can continue, adjust or stop the trial.

Checking the terms of use

Before sending documents, look at the terms of the service: access, hosting, retention and any reuse of the data. Also identify the obligations that apply to the intended use and the training the people involved will need.