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Unlocking the Power of Generative AI: A Practical Guide for Small Business Leaders
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is quickly changing the world of work. It gives new ways to boost productivity, improve customer service and redesign business processes. For small business leaders, understanding and using these tools safely is more important than ever.
Created by Microsoft in partnership with HSBC UK
For small business leaders, understanding and using these tools safely is more important than ever. Drawing on my experience supporting business leaders, I’ve seen both excitement and understandable caution - especially around data privacy and getting the most out of these new technologies.
Contents
Current Trends: Navigating the Rise of Unapproved AI Tools
A recent Microsoft study revealed that 71% of UK employees use unapproved AI tools at work, underscoring a growing demand for AI access. While many organisations are exploring AI to automate tasks and improve efficiency, concerns about data privacy, financial health, and security risks often arise.
Using unapproved AI tools can expose sensitive company information, making it essential for small businesses to choose trustworthy and secure AI platforms.
Key Questions for Small Business Leaders:
Are your employees using unauthorized AI tools in the workplace?
Have you established clear policies to ensure AI tools are used securely?
Copilot Chat: Free Secure AI for Microsoft 365 Customers
If you use Microsoft 365, you can access Copilot Chat at no additional cost. It is a smart AI assistant that puts privacy and security first. Copilot Chat keeps your company’s data safe and private. It has strong security measures and does not use your data to train its foundational models. This means you can use AI to be more productive without worrying that your data will be shared or leaked.
Copilot Chat is available in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote to provide AI assistance right where users need it. Copilot Chat in Microsoft 365 apps understands the context of a user’s open content - like a file, email, or notebook page - so they can ask questions, summarise, gather insights, or generate new material.
GenAI can enable your team to get time back for higher-value, strategic tasks. Whether employed as an AI assistant for drafting emails, summarising documents, or addressing complex inquiries, or utilised to automate workflows at an advanced level, GenAI enhances efficiency. This allows your team to focus on strengthening customer relationships and increasing sales. By simplifying routine responsibilities, you gain additional capacity to drive business growth.
Getting Started: The GCSE Framework for Effective AI Prompts
If, like many, you’ve tried GenAI at work but don’t feel you are getting high quality responses, why not try the GCSE method when you write prompts:
- Goal – Say clearly what you want to do.
- Context – Give background information.
- Source – Point to any documents or data that are needed.
- Expectation – Describe the format or result you want.
This easy method helps you get clear and useful answers that fit your business needs.
Here are a few sample prompts illustrating how a small business might apply this framework:
Example prompt 1: “Build a six-week social media campaign for LinkedIn, X, and Facebook. Use my website (insert link) for ideas and leverage seasonal trends to highlight holiday offers. I’ve attached our latest customer feedback survey—please incorporate insights. Present one post per platform per week in a table with suggested copy and key themes.”
Example prompt 2: “Help me create a staff scheduling system for my small bakery. I’ll provide team availability, peak business hours, and a list of daily tasks. Recommend a simple solution that balances workloads, ensures coverage during busy periods, and accommodates time-off requests. Present the plan in a weekly table format with clear shift assignments and roles.”
Conclusion: Embrace AI Securely and Confidently
Generative AI offers small businesses a powerful way to innovate, compete, and grow. With secure tools like Copilot Chat, you can boost productivity while safeguarding your data. By using clear prompts and thoughtful strategies, you’ll unlock new opportunities for your team and customers.
This is just the start—there’s much more to explore with Agents and the broader capabilities of Microsoft 365 Copilot as your needs grow.
