Welcome, innovators.

To help companies better understand AI and its impact on their future, Microsoft commissioned a study—The Business Opportunity of AI—through IDC. 

Below, we examine the findings, including how a commitment to AI can significantly boost return on investment (ROI).

In today’s newsletter:

• Today’s must-read stories 📰

• IDC’s 2024 AI opportunity study

• Prompt of the day ✍️

Together with Lumen

This game-changing device measures your metabolism

Lumen, the world's first hand-held metabolic coach, quickly and easily measures your metabolism with your breath.

Based on this daily breath measurement, Lumen’s app lets you know if you’re burning fat or carbs, then gives you tailored guidance to improve your nutrition, workouts, sleep and even stress management.

Lumen helps you build a personalized, scientifically sound health plan based on your data.

Take charge of your health today with Lumen. Click below to get 15% off.

Today’s must-read stories

Alibaba releases AI search tool 🤖

Alibaba has launched Accio, an AI-powered search engine designed to help small businesses in Europe and the Americas source wholesale products.

Writer raises $200M Series C at $1.9B valuation 💰

Writer, the enterprise-focused generative AI platform, has raised $200M in Series C funding at a $1.9B valuation.

Particle launches AI news app to support publishers 📚

Particle, an AI-powered newsreader founded by former Twitter engineers, aims to support the media industry by helping consumers better understand and explore news stories while also benefiting publishers.

AI Video of the Day

AI tools 🔨 

• Clari: AI-driven revenue operations platform.

• BeeDone: AI-driven gamified productivity app.

• Conversica: AI-powered sales assistant for automating lead engagement.

Together with GrowthSchool:

Unlock GrowthSchool’s free 3-hour AI Mini Course (worth $399) and master 20+ AI tools to save 16 hours a week.

Learn to grow a $10,000+ business, make faster decisions, and automate tasks instantly. Only 100 free seats – claim yours now! Enroll here 🎁

IDC’s 2024 AI opportunity study

Generative AI is rapidly transforming business outcomes in 2024, with companies only now beginning to explore its full potential. 

A recent Microsoft-commissioned IDC study highlights that organizations see significant ROI when they fully commit to AI investment.

Key takeaways

• Enhanced productivity is now essential: 92% of companies use AI to boost productivity, with 43% seeing the greatest ROI from these efforts. Dentsu, for example, saves 15-30 minutes daily with Microsoft’s Copilot.

• Shift toward custom AI solutions: Companies are increasingly building industry-specific AI tools, such as Siemens’ Industrial Copilot, which eases labor shortages and complexity challenges.

• Generative AI adoption is accelerating: Usage has risen to 75%, with financial services seeing the highest ROI, followed by media, retail, and healthcare. Providence uses AI to save physicians an average of 5.33 minutes per visit.

• AI leaders achieve higher ROI and faster innovation: Top companies using generative AI report $10.3 ROI and quicker implementation times; for example, Södra uses AI to enhance sustainability and revenue.

• Skilling remains a critical challenge: 30% of companies face an AI skills gap, with Microsoft addressing this by training over 14 million people worldwide, as seen in their partnership with the University of South Florida.

Our thoughts

AI is reshaping industries at a pace that demands both advanced tools and skilled talent. As it continues to evolve, companies that invest in tailored technology and workforce training will secure a competitive edge and drive transformative impact.

Miscellaneous resources

• GrowthSchool: Free 3-hour AI course (worth $399) to master 20+ tools, save 16 hrs/week.

• McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2024

• AI writing prompts for marketers and writers

Prompt of the day ✍️ 

Financial planner (create an annual review report)

How it works:

This prompt guides a financial planner AI to create a custom annual review report, starting with questions to understand the user’s needs, analyzing the input, referencing key materials, and refining iteratively with evaluations.

Why use it:

This prompt creates a personalized, expert-driven annual review report by combining user-specific insights with rigorous analysis and ongoing feedback to deliver actionable financial recommendations.

Prompt Example:

{"prompt":"Develop a tailored An Annual Review Report aligned with the user's individual needs, drawing insights from the supplied reference materials. Initiate interaction with the user to obtain essential specifics and resolve any ambiguities. Iteratively refine the An Annual Review Report through consistent evaluations using the given evaluationRubric and gather user input to ensure the end product aligns with the users expectations.}

You can find the prompt in its entirety here.

Find Us On Twitter
Find Us On LinkedIn