Why 2024 will be the year of the AI Assistant

January 2024 AI & Data Analytics


Linda Saunders.

Over the coming 12 months, generative AI will drive transformation across all industries, boosting efficiency and productivity. Tailoring and personalising customer interactions faster and at scale, workers are quickly realising the benefits.

In fact, 68% of workers say generative AI will help them better serve customers, and employees estimate it will save them an average of five hours each week. That said, 73% of employees believe generative AI introduces new security risks, underscoring the need for organisations to leverage generative AI technologies built with trust first.

Understanding how to integrate intuitive AI assistants into workflows with unified data and build trust amongst organisations will be essential.

The next wave of AI assistants

We are moving to a co-pilot world, with AI assistants proactively taking action on our behalf. As super-powered collaborators, these tools deliver intelligence across automation, share knowledge, provide conversation summaries, and draft content for emails, product descriptions, marketing materials, and more. All this is empowering employees to streamline their workflows and maximise output.

The latest annual McKinsey Global Survey on the state of AI confirms the explosive growth of generative AI tools; one-third of respondents say their organisations are using generative AI regularly in at least one business function.

With enhanced AI search capabilities, this will answer complex prompts and provide smart suggestions by tapping into real-time business data, including unstructured data, such as transcripts and documents, and structured data, such as product inventory or purchase history.

According to Slack’s State of Work research, individuals adopting AI are 90% more likely to report higher levels of productivity. Yet, just 27% of companies currently use AI tools to help increase efficiency. Those who use automation at work estimate saving an average of 3,6 hours a week; this equates to at least one working month a year given back to each employee to focus on meaningful work.

Take customer call centre leaders, for instance. Using unstructured data and AI, teams can automatically compare customer cases and identify those that are similar in their intent. They can trigger automated flows that alert case owners if a new case is a potential duplicate, allowing for quick identification of similar cases, thereby reducing case resolution time and improving the overall customer experience.

Many marketing professionals are already using generative AI to transform how they connect with their customers by powering more automated and effective campaigns quickly and at scale. In addition to targeting basics like content creation and writing copy, they are transforming the way they analyse data, personalise messaging content, and optimise search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies.

To add to this, marketers can also tailor their campaigns based on consumer intent and behaviour. When building a campaign, a marketer can use AI to understand consumer intent by analysing unstructured survey data and transcripts.

The real power of this technology is when AI can analyse and act on the most valuable data from a company’s most trusted resource, helping teams work smarter and make informed decisions faster.

The AI revolution will be underpinned by both data and trust

The AI revolution promises to make our lives much easier by eliminating mundane tasks and helping us become more productive. However, AI is only as good as the data it leverages. With the quantity of data set to grow, turning size into value requires building a data-driven business culture – weaving data into the organisation’s operations, mindset, and identity.

Einstein Copilot and Copilot Search will also be capable of accessing unstructured data by leveraging the Data Cloud Vector Database that unifies all business data, including unstructured and structured data.

When integrated and leveraged correctly, unified data enables companies to maximise their technology investments and uncover opportunities that drive business strategy and strengthen customer trust.

We cannot unlock the promise of AI without being able to trust what it generates. To prepare for the next era of AI assistants, it is imperative that businesses take steps to protect individuals, build trust, and encourage innovation. This can be done by focusing on communicating transparently how AI is used and making it clear that their employees – not technology – are in the driver’s seat.

In 2024, AI trust will continue to be questioned, and a specific focus will be on AI safety and government approaches to establish trusted AI frameworks. It is not just about asking more of AI. We need to ask more of each other – our governments, businesses, and civil society – to harness the power of AI in safe, responsible ways.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Top five AIoT trends in 2026
IoT & Automation AI & Data Analytics
As we enter 2026, the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT infrastructure is reshaping industries, unlocking unprecedented opportunities to optimise operations, enhance security, and improve sustainability.

Read more...
Banking’s AI reckoning
Financial (Industry) News & Events AI & Data Analytics
From agentic commerce disputes to quantum-powered risk modelling, SAS experts offer a ‘banker’s dozen,’ 13 industry-defining predictions that will separate institutions that master intelligent banking from those still struggling with the basics.

Read more...
Securing a South African healthcare network
Surveillance Healthcare (Industry) AI & Data Analytics
VIVOTEK partnered with local integrator Chase Networks and distributor Rectron to deliver a fully integrated security ecosystem, providing PathCare with a centralised view of all facilities, simplifying monitoring of sensitive laboratory areas, and ensuring SOP compliance.

Read more...
DeepAlert appoints Howard Harrison as CEO
DeepAlert News & Events AI & Data Analytics
DeepAlert has appointed Howard Harrison as chief executive officer. DeepAlert’s founder and CEO of the past six years, Dr Jasper Horrell, will transition into a newly created role as chief innovation officer.

Read more...
The year of the agent
Information Security AI & Data Analytics
The dominant attack patterns in Q4 2025 included system-prompt extraction attempts, subtle content-safety bypasses, and exploratory probing. Indirect attacks required fewer attempts than direct injections, making untrusted external sources a primary risk vector heading into 2026.

Read more...
AI agent suite for control rooms
Milestone Systems News & Events Surveillance AI & Data Analytics
Visionplatform.ai announced the public launch of its new visionplatform.ai Agent Suite for Milestone XProtect, adding reasoning, context and assisted decision-making on top of existing video analytics and events — without sending video to the cloud.

Read more...
AI cybersecurity predictions for 2026
AI & Data Analytics Information Security
The rapid development of AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape in 2026, for both individual users and businesses. Large language models (LLMs) are influencing defensive capabilities while simultaneously expanding opportunities for threat actors.

Read more...
The year of machine deception
Security Services & Risk Management AI & Data Analytics
The AU10TIX Global Fraud Report, Signals for 2026, warns of the looming agentic AI and quantum risk, leading to a surge in adaptive, self-learning fraud, and outlines how early warning systems are fighting back.

Read more...
Dahua showcases smart city solutions
AI & Data Analytics Fire & Safety IoT & Automation
Dahua showcased its smart city solutions at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, which brought together experts, innovators, and city leaders from around the globe to explore the future of urban transformation.

Read more...
What is your ‘real’ security posture?
BlueVision Editor's Choice Information Security Infrastructure AI & Data Analytics
Many businesses operate under the illusion that their security controls, policies, and incident response plans will hold firm when tested by cybercriminals, but does this mean you are really safe?

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.