Beyond time-saving: Generative AI’s shift from speed to decision making

Most people associate Generative AI (GenAI) with time savings. GenAI success stories have made corporate waves as a surefire way to boost efficiency. What was once seen as a flashy, experimental innovation is now tables takes, giving businesses a sophisticated edge.

Whether it be the nine percent of time savings made using GenAI for coding or the three hours shaved off producing marketing content, GenAI has proven its value.

In a world where speed is everything, saving time is crucial. But with GenAI, we are just scratching the surface. Beyond productivity^[1] gains, it’s also enabling sharper decision-making and shaping long-term direction. Its strategic benefits range from revolutionizing market analysis to driving product innovation — and this is only the beginning.

Leveraging AI for market and competitive analysis

When it comes to market analysis, analysts face a multitude of challenges. With swathes of data available and varying in accuracy and availability, a simple search can quickly become a huge headache.

With GenAI, many of these obstacles are reduced. Automated data collection paired with real-time analysis saves precious time. But it’s not just about speed. Analysts are empowered with enhanced decision-making. Gen AI tools^[2] process pools of information — from financial reports to customer sentiment data — to analyze and assess competitors.

GenAI can also evaluate potential synergies across companies. By identifying promising acquisition targets and predicting post-merger performance, for example, this technology can be a powerful tool in helping businesses make complex M&A decisions.

But what about accuracy? That’s where retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) comes in. By leveraging trusted, citable data sources, RAG mitigates the risk of misinformation. For analysts, purpose-built for business GenAI tools can not only save valuable time, but can be an essential step in making those all-important, and costly, judgement calls.

Spotting golden opportunities early

By analysing historical data and real-time information^[3], GenAI can also help predict market shifts. From changes in consumer behavior to the rise of new tech or regulation, the technology’s tracking capabilities have torn up the traditional prediction rulebook.

And we are already seeing real-world examples of this across industries. Bentley Systems, a construction software company, has used GenAI to help architects design buildings in less time and can simulate changes that would affect their structural design.

But like most powerful tools, it demands skill and skepticism. A Boston Consulting Group experiment found that 90% of participants improved their performance^[4] when using GenAI for creative ideation; however, when applied to business problem-solving there was a 23% decline in performance.

This was due to participants trusting misleading outputs, showing that, despite all its glory, proper training is needed to truly understand AI’s limitations. The tech may be ready, but unlocking its full value requires skill, training, and a healthy critique.

Optimizing strategic risk management

For risk managers, the stakes have never been higher. Emerging cyber threats, regulatory overhauls and a very unpredictable geopolitical landscape all mean organizations are exposed to heightened levels of risk.

GenAI is a critical tool for identifying, analysing, and mitigating strategic risks. By processing historical data, market trends and real-time information, AI can highlight potential vulnerabilities and help organizations prepare for a wide range of scenarios.

For example, AI models can simulate the impact of economic downturns, supply chain disruptions or competitive threats, enabling businesses to develop robust contingency plans. AI’s ability to predict emerging risks, such as regulatory changes or cybersecurity^[5] threats, allows corporate strategists to stay ahead of challenges and safeguard organizational resilience, keeping business downtime to a minimum.

And it’s not just external risk factors that are impacted. 89% of professionals in risk, fraud and compliance recognize the advantages AI brings to their sector when it comes to internal compliance. For those on the front-line of risk, GenAI is proving to be transformative, helping them navigate an increasingly complex bureaucratic landscape.

What does this mean for business leaders?

Generative AI is not just a tool for enhancing efficiency, it’s a strategic enabler that can redefine how businesses operate, compete and thrive. The potential for reshaping market analysis, spotting emerging opportunities and navigating strategic risks demonstrates its transformative impact across industries.

But, realizing these benefits requires careful planning and execution. Companies must prioritize integrating AI tools into their existing processes, such as CRM platforms^[6] and financial analytics tools, while ensuring reliability and accuracy.

It’s one thing to integrate GenAI. It’s quite another for teams to be using it effectively, understanding both its capabilities and limitations. Comprehensive training programs can mitigate risks, such as overreliance on misleading outputs, while fostering confidence in AI-driven insights.

AI adoption should be treated as an evolving process. For business leaders, it’s their responsibility to regularly evaluate its impact, assess risk, adjust strategies as needed and keep up with advancements in the technology to maximize value.

Generative AI is more than a tool for saving time; it’s reshaping how organizations make decisions and lead in an increasingly dynamic and competitive world.

We list the best business intelligence platforms^[7].

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro^[8]