All businesses are becoming AI companies. Here's how to do it correctly

American businesses have been completely overhauled as artificial intelligence covers almost every industry.

Whether you are looking for new ways to expand your company or restructuring your workforce, business leaders need to weigh costs (known and unknown) with potential benefits, but this is hardly guaranteed.

“For managers, AI agents spend less time overseeing basic training and more time focusing on high-value tasks,” he wrote. Forbes Aytekin Tank is CEO of San Francisco-based startup Jotform. “What's important is the wise delegation. Entrepreneurs and managers must use AI agents to handle designated training tasks and maintain strategic orientation. Businesses that move quickly to integrate AI-driven learning will enjoy a great competitive advantage.”

Here's how expert contributors suggest you do it:

AI is not a treatment. Use the tool strategically

Creating and editing text may be the most popular use case for AI tools today. A survey by McKinsey & Company in late 2024 found that over 63% of executives say that companies use generated AI to create texts and rely more on chatbots.

The problem is that in many cases, AI tools can reduce team productivity. Forbes Constantino contributors report. He cites research that highlights “a shockingly broad division between expected productivity gains by senior management and the inactive outcomes shared by the overwhelming majority of rank and file employees.”

In fact, Professor Anders Humram at the University of Chicago and Professor Emily Vestergaard at the University of Copenhagen discovered in 2025 that “AI chatbots have not had a significant impact on the revenues of their occupations or recorded time.” The modest productivity gains were offset by freed workers who felt they had lost both their growth potential and their agency.

Reece Akhtar, Forbes The CEO of The Talent-Management Tools Company is a deeper signal and recommends providing AI initiatives as a way for teams to experiment, rather than simply extending.

“The degree to which teams can use AI to strengthen their curious, motivated and collaborative tendencies can be optimistic about their ability to develop new, unimaginable innovations that open up new revenue streams,” writes Aktar.

Otherwise, executives can expect more from their employees without considering that new technical tools require training to be used successfully. Furthermore, automated production requires routine human intervention to protect quality. If executives expect to see AI tools and services as a way to reduce staffing, if they expect their teams to unlock more work, this could result in additional work and morale decline.

“Workers report spending more time reviewing the complexity of AI-generated content and learning tools than the time these tools are likely to save,” he wrote. Forbes A contributor to Luis Romero, founder of Genstorm AI.

If maintaining positive team dynamics is not part of the foundation of a company's business strategy, adopting AI tools is unlikely to increase productivity and could lead to workers' exodus.

How to measure AI adoption

As talent leaves, periodic recruitment costs increase. Employees are freed by increasing responsibility for technical support without pay raises, team building and growth opportunities. For staff to stay connected, executives need to protect face-to-face time with colleagues only via remote video calls.

“It's not just communication that attracts people right now. It's the feeling that someone notices their efforts before they seek the output,” he wrote. Forbes Contributor Vibhas Ratanjee, Gallup researcher specializing in leadership development. “Most internal tools are built to save time. Fewer steps. Smooth clicks. But no friction is always thoughtful. If you remove a human pause, you risk removing the parts that build the connection.”

Long-term human machine interactions create mental fatigue that can be alleviated by team building and collaborative projects. When a motivated team uses AI tools, that's when magic happens.

Forbes Anne Griffin, a contributor to AI product consultants, writes that executives need to measure teams' AI adoption by focusing on speed and value created without compromising quality. Most teams can move faster, but quality is reduced. That's not a goal. Instead, Griffin recommends assessing whether employees are demonstrating more agents on how to use AI tools.

When employees start using AI tools creatively rather than simply normatively, it is a type of AI adoption that can evolve with new technology.

Once sustainable AI recruitment becomes a central pillar of a company's business strategy, you should start hiring AI professionals.

How to hire the best AI professionals

Hiring for any role is an opportunity to diversify and level up your team.

“Make sure your job ads reach a wide range of potential candidates. Use gender-neutral job descriptions to increase the number of female applicants,” he wrote. Forbes Contributor Corinne Post. “Involving technical women in the interview process: Female job seekers interviewing female role models are more likely to accept job offers.”

That advice doesn't apply to technical roles only. Forbes Contributor Dr. Aviva Legatt, founder of Edgerative Consultancy, which focuses on AI in education, recommends employers focus on “interdisciplinary connections” beyond their computer science majors. AI learning is not limited to IT departments or engineering teams, but is part of all departments of the company.

In addition to Ivy League schools like Princeton, we are recruiting interns and entry-level employees from universities with robust AI education programs like the University of Georgia and Emory University. “As opposed to limiting AI development to computer science and IT departments, Emory intentionally promoted interdisciplinary connections,” writes Legatt.

Skill-based hiring can help you identify the know-how you need regarding your resume, cover letter, and profiles with links, regardless of the candidate's degree. Candy dating from all backgrounds can be proven with tests that can be managed during the interview process.

Regarding candidates for Gen Z, Forbes Contributor Sarah Hernholm, a student startup competition coordinator at SXSW EDU, considers candidates with a communication degree if they have social media skills, and also recommends graduates who have graduates with a degree in human computer interaction and cognitive science.

“Cognitive science lies at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, computer science and philosophy,” writes Hernholm. “This interdisciplinary approach creates graduates who understand how both human and artificial minds process information. This is a critical skill as AI systems become more refined.”

Then, they send employees directly to the network at meetings such as the World Summit AI Americas, AI World Congress, The AI ​​and Big Data Expo, AI4 and more. Participants may consider asking speakers or experts to refer them to the experts they recommend.

Spread the word for new employment opportunities widely. When team members post about company job openings on social media, the list could reach a larger audience. Be open to candidates who do not have traditional qualifications but have the skills and experience to adapt to a dynamic work environment. When interviewing candidates, consider who those candidates can work with.

How to upskill your team

In addition to hiring AI-savvy talent, your business will need to create strategies for existing teams to experiment with AI tools. Investing in high-end employees can be more cost-effective than trying to automate many roles right away.

Forbes “We're looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said Barry Libert, CEO of platform advisory firm Allmatters.

Rather than relying solely on new employees, businesses train them to adopt new trends like AI, and often save money when feeding current staff.

“Effective training improves skills during training rather than relying on participants to independently revisit the materials,” he wrote. Forbes Contributor Cynthia Pon. “When employees see immediate applications for new skills, they are much more likely to incorporate AI into their daily work.”

You can start using AI tools today

Technical teams aren't the only AI tools. Forbes Christian Stradler, professor of strategic management at Warwick Business School, recommends operations staff try out AI tools such as LawGeex, Kira Systems and Luminance AI.

Marketing teams can try tools like the video editing tool Opus Clip, the text-to-video-to-video-generator runway, or the image editing tool PIXLR.

The most AI prevention companies with growth potential strategize AI automation and how to move beyond specific tools. Establishing an AI-savvy company is about how teams adapt and evolve with technology.

“The winning organizations don't just update their tech infrastructure, they prepare people with training and clear guidelines,” he wrote. Forbes Contributor to Sarah Elk, a senior partner focused on Bain & Company's AI solutions. “Companies that are now at risk of being left behind not only by their competitors but also by their own employees.”

What drives your business up to this point does not necessarily guarantee your future success. Balancing bold investments with regular improvements can help you prepare for what AI brings.