How Can Organizations Prepare Their Workforce for an AI-Driven Future?
Approach to how to adapt Artificial Intelligence in an organization.
The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in an organization is a challenge that must be addressed in a coordinated and strategic way. ILUNION Hotels has proposed the adoption and strategic planning of Artificial Intelligence through the Brill-IA-NT project, which is a strategic initiative that seeks to transform the company through the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the creation of a data-based organizational culture. The project establishes a roadmap for the implementation of this technology in the organization.
The project focuses on generating economic and social value for the identified stakeholders: solving problems and needs of the different business areas with information management and content creation, raising awareness and training among the organization’s employees and improving the experience of hotel customers.
Methodology used
The methodology of the Brill-IA-NT project is based on five key phases: competitive intelligence, data exploration, awareness, strategic planning and results analysis. Each of these phases has been designed to ensure the effective adoption of AI tools and the generation of positive impact on the company and its stakeholders.
Project Phases
Competitive Intelligence: Understanding the environment is the first step to innovate. ILUNION Hotels identifies key trends and solutions through its Competitive Intelligence system in order to manage them. In this phase, AI is identified as a current need, to which the company must adapt and solutions are sought. Additionally, in the identification of trends and solutions, artificial intelligence is used to analyze the competitive environment and identify opportunities for improvement.
Data Exploration: Data exploration is crucial to becoming an AI-powered company. The quality of organizational data, analytical capacity, and the habit of data consumption at all levels of the organization have been key factors in this phase. ILUNION Hotels began to create a Data Driven culture in 2019, which has made the adoption of AI easier in recent years, as much of the data available is structured. The pillars have been:
The quality of organizational data
The analytical capacity and the habit of data consumption at all levels of the organization
Robust and prepared technological infrastructure
Previously established culture of change in the organization
Awareness-raising, training and complementary actions: Awareness-raising and training workshops on the use of AI tools have been carried out. These workshops have promoted the adoption of departmental applications such as Copilot, Chat GPT, Perplexity, and Adobe Photoshop (with its AI module).
In addition, AI Champions (people with an interest and predisposition to lead the implementation of AI projects in each area) have been identified, and they have institutionalized the holding of AI committees with different areas to align expectations and AI projects.
Alliances have been created with relevant technology providers (Google, Microsoft, Telefónica, Salesforce) to study the possible impact of their AI solutions and carry out pilots that cover the identified needs.
The contact with allies in the hotel sector, with AI solutions already implemented, has facilitated the identification and assessment of solutions already tested by them.
Strategic Planning: In this phase, needs have been detected in all business areas and classified according to their impact, maturity of the technology. Planning and programming solutions based on these needs has been essential for the validation and prioritization of use cases.
Use cases were identified for the areas of Human Resources, Business, Marketing, Finance, Innovation, Sustainability and Accessibility, regrouping them into 19 needs and 7 different use cases: chatbot, predictive analytics, waste management, content creation, CV management, suppliers with specific solutions and technological solutions not available (in three cases).
Analysis of Results: Finally, indicators have been identified to be able to measure the impact of AI through the projects. In addition, a results analysis has been carried out to evaluate the impact of AI projects on ILUNION Hotels. This analysis has made it possible to identify the economic and operational benefits generated by the automation and optimization of processes.
Identified Use Cases
The Brill-IA-NT project has identified numerous use cases in various business areas, including people, business, marketing, legal-finance, innovation, sustainability, and accessibility. Some of the most relevant use cases are:
People: Automatic evaluation of CVs, emotional and motivational support for employees, retention and attraction of talent.
Business: Text generation, simultaneous interpretation system, chatbot, demand forecasting and dynamic pricing.
Marketing: Automatic generation of descriptions, evaluation of customer reviews, creation of promotional texts.
Legal-Finance: Analysis of accounting and financial reports, assistance in investment decisions.
Innovation: User support, change management, project planning and monitoring.
Sustainability: Sustainability reports, waste optimization.
Accessibility: Visual impairment and spectrum of disabilities.
Emblematic Projects
Among the flagship projects implemented in the Brill-IA-NT project are:
Internal Chatbot: A chatbot that transforms hotel operations and support provided from central services.
Content Creation: Automatic generation of content for various platforms.
Waste Management: Optimization of waste management in hotels.
Digital Receptionist: Implementation of a digital receptionist to improve the customer experience.
CV Management: Automatic evaluation of CVs for talent attraction and retention.
Simultaneous Translation: Simultaneous interpretation system to improve communication in hotels.
Analytic Predictions: Use of AI to make analytical predictions and improve decision-making.
Project Results
The Brill-IA-NT project has generated a significant economic impact on ILUNION Hotels, with an estimated increase in revenue and operating savings of €320,000 in 2024 and €1,540,000 expected in 2025. In addition, process automation and optimization has improved the customer and employee experience, and training and awareness actions have impacted 1,800 employees.
Main lessons learned from the implemented model and strategy
The main learnings from the Brill-IA-NT project are:
The importance of an organizational culture based on data management to facilitate the adoption of AI projects.
Identifying and strategically planning use cases across various business areas is critical to defining a needs-based roadmap.
Creating an AI culture by promoting the adoption of AI tools through awareness and training workshops, and identifying AI Ambassadors as internal transformation advocates, is critical.
The assessment of the economic and operational impact of AI projects should demonstrate the value of applying AI solutions.
In summary, ILUNION HOTELS’ Brill-IA-NT project has been a transformative initiative that is generating a positive impact on the company and its stakeholders, through the adoption of artificial intelligence, the creation of a data-based organizational culture and the achievement of results.
