When I joined the workforce in the early 1990s, I started using Mosaic, one of the first web browsers. I told my boss that the Internet was going to transform the world, but he said I didn't know what I was talking about.

Fast forward, and now I'm seeing history repeat itself with AI. I talk to so many leaders who are still skeptical. They say HE is untested. A flash in the pan. Too good to be true.

They are wrong. more than 80% of workers using AI say it improves their productivity and the quality of their work. And among businesses expecting to cut costs using AI in 2024, about half estimated savings north of 10%. If anything, I think that number will be significantly higher.

After all, AI is a time- and money-saving tool with almost limitless applications. But to reap these benefits, leaders must actively model the use of AI – not hinder it. This means having a growth mindset for technology.

So how can you use AI as a leader? I run a global company with teams around the world and thousands of customers. Here's how I use AI—in basic and advanced ways—to get more out of my day and my workforce.

Related: 6 steps to effectively lead in an AI environment

AI as a workflow enabler for leaders

For this time leader, AI has quickly become a best friend. Many of these uses are old hat by now, but it amazes me how many Fortune 1000 executives in my network still don't utilize them.

For example, I spent hours each week listening to recordings of critical sales calls to understand customer objections and determine where we might be losing. This is a task designed for AI. Now, I get instant call summaries that allow me to use keywords to jump to specific locations.

Because English is not my first language, I resort to it AI for writing help also. It fixes my grammar and makes me sound more conversational. AI can also handle the repetitive writing tasks that are a leader's worst enemy—emails, company messages, newsletters, reports, and presentations.

It also cuts down on my reading time at work. In addition to breaking down complex topics, this digital assistant can translate legalese into plain language.

Before a meeting, we use it to summarize notes on a project, creating an update that everyone can read in advance to get up to speed. In this way, the meeting itself is more productive.

Fortunately, when it comes to by adopting AIyounger leaders are taking this program. In one survey of knowledge workers under 40 who hold or aspire to leadership roles, 70% said they use AI for tasks like drafting email responses, writing challenging messages and helping overcome language barriers.

Related: 2 AI mistakes that could get you sued or fired

AI to better understand your workforce

But the role of AI extends beyond personal productivity. For executives, it can be a true strategic partner that provides unparalleled insight into your business. Here are some key ways to use AI every day:

• A real-time window into team performance: Every leader asks himself: What are my people doing today? What did they do last week? The latest AI tools can collect and interpret the digital footprint of departments, teams or even individual employees. Let's say a sales rep made 10 calls last week. Artificial intelligence can provide a quick snapshot of the number needed for prospecting, maintaining customer relationships and exploring opportunities.
• Connecting people to business results: Historically, people data (team member performance and contributions) and business data (metrics such as revenue, customer satisfaction, and profitability) have been aggregated. When information isn't walled off in separate departments, it gets stuck in dense spreadsheets. HE crosses that gulf. For example, a luxury retailer I work with used AI to integrate people and point of sale data. This allows the company to see which of its hundreds of locations around the world are performing better than others, as well as the training history of each store manager. Armed with that knowledge, the company can evaluate which sales training worked best and implement it where needed.
• Planning for a changing workforce: Predicting talent moves and shortages is another emerging strength of artificial intelligence. Let's say some team members in a department just quit. The right AI can flag downstream impacts—missed critical capabilities, even potentially missed deadlines.
• Unpacking and contextualizing key metrics: AI excels at identifying the “so what” behind dense charts and graphs. (Yes, even the C-suite could use help here.)

For example, a CEO may want to know whether the company will close enough deals to meet its annual revenue target. Next-generation dashboards show the best and worst case scenarios—interpreting analytics in simple language that anyone can understand.

The payoff is real for leaders and companies willing to invest in AI. A global study found that about 75% of businesses using generative AI reported ROI within the first year. More than 85% of that group increased revenue by at least 6%. Among organizations posting a revenue gain, roughly 90% with strong C-suite support for AI crossed that threshold.

The opposite is also true. thanks”digitally illiterate” Bosses, employees are already wasting six hours a week on tasks that could easily be automated if their company had AI. No wonder one in five workers is now an “underground” user of AI.

Like my ex-boss who didn't believe in the Internet, anyone still on the fence about AI risks making a huge mistake. As leaders, we set the tone for our organization. This starts with incorporating AI into your daily workflow. If you're like me, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.