Module 2 Lesson 4: AI Across the Enterprise
AI is not just for IT. Explore how AI is reshaping core business functions from Marketing and HR to Finance and Supply Chain Management.
Module 2 Lesson 4: AI Across the Enterprise
AI is a "Horizontal" technology—it touches every room in the building. This lesson provides a summary of the highest-impact use cases for the four major corporate functions.
1. AI in Marketing: The Creative Partner
Marketing has been the earliest and most aggressive adopter of AI.
- Content Generation: Using GenAI to draft 50 variations of an ad headline for A/B testing.
- Audience Segmentation: Moving from "Generic Demographics" to "Behavioral Personas."
- Ad Bidding: AI-driven algorithms calculate in milliseconds which ad to show to which user to maximize click-through rates.
2. AI in Human Resources (HR): The Talent Scout
HR uses AI to handle the "Massive Volume" of communication.
- Resume Screening: AI scans 1,000 resumes and highlights the 10 that best match the specific "Skill Keywords." (Warning: Watch for bias here!).
- Employee Retention: Analyzing patterns in Slack usage or PTO requests to predict "Burnout" before an employee resigns.
- Onboarding: AI-powered bots answering common questions about "Health Insurance" or "Holiday Policy."
3. AI in Finance: The Accuracy Engine
In Finance, precision is everything. AI is used to eliminate "Human Error."
- Expense Auditing: Automatically scanning receipts and flagging "Unusual" expenses or duplicate filings.
- Financial Forecasting: Running complex cash-flow simulations (as seen in Lesson 3).
- Automated Bookkeeping: Categorizing 90% of transactions automatically using pattern matching.
4. AI in Supply Chain: The Resiliency Specialist
The modern supply chain is a web of risks. AI helps manage the complexity.
- Route Optimization: Calculating the most carbon-efficient and time-sensitive path for ships and trucks.
- Inventory Intelligence: Predicting exactly how much of a product should be in which warehouse to minimize regional shipping costs.
- Supplier Risk: Scanning news and weather reports to predict "Port Closures" or "Factory Delays" before they disrupt your business.
Summary Comparison
| Department | Primary AI Value | Example Tool/Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Engagement | Targeted Ad Personalization |
| HR | Efficiency | Automated Resume Pre-screening |
| Finance | Accuracy | Fraud Detection & Auditing |
| Supply Chain | Resilience | Predictive Logistics & Routing |
Exercise: The Departmental Impact Map
Think about your current organization.
- Pick one department from the four above.
- Identify a problem that department currently faces (e.g., "It takes too long to hire engineers" or "Our ad costs are rising").
- Propose one specific AI application from this lesson that could help solve that problem.
- The Counter-point: What is the most likely Risk of using AI in that specific case? (e.g., "The AI might miss a great engineer because they didn't use the right keywords").
Summary
AI is not a "Special Project"—it is a core capability for any modern department head. By understanding the specific value AI brings to each role, you can better advocate for investment in your own area.
Next Lesson: We wrap up this module by looking at the "Holy Grail": AI-Driven Innovation.