From automation to knowledge capture, discover how AI helps you manage institutional knowledge more effectively
AI can feel daunting for professionals in the knowledge management field. But much like the last major tech shift (remember the rise of the internet and home computing?), while these new developments can demand agility and sharp decision-making, they also open the door to significant opportunity.
When used right, AI has the potential to propel your knowledge management strategy to the next level. It’s something we’ve been helping clients leverage for years. Below, we’ve outlined the top ways knowledge managers can harness AI to move from content chaos to fast, data-driven insights.
Key benefits of AI for knowledge managers
The biggest benefit of AI? Time savings top the list. By embedding automation wherever possible, enterprises can free up subject matter experts (SMEs) to focus on high-value, strategic work. But the advantages go beyond efficiency. AI tools can also help reduce operational costs by making support available to the right people, exactly when they need it.
Planning to roll out a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system? AI can deliver real-time support to users, cutting down on support tickets and minimising time spent searching for information. The result: fewer calls to IT and increased user adoption. AI also helps break down information silos, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration across the enterprise.
Top 10 ways knowledge managers can utilise AI
1. Automated tagging
A strong semantic layer, powered by well-structured metadata, gives AI agents the context they need to understand and interpret enterprise content accurately (read our blog post on the value of a rich semantic layer of metadata). This foundation enables AI to surface relevant, actionable insights faster and with greater precision. However, doing this manually can be a mammoth task and AI-powered software is available to speed up the process.
2. Analysis of semantic data
Once content is properly tagged, AI can analyse its meaning and connections to other data, delivering search results tailored to your organisation’s specific context. With AI-powered search, agents can interpret this information, process complex queries, and surface the right information to the right people, at the right time.
3. AI agents or chatbots
AI can deliver instant, accurate answers to your most frequently asked questions, reducing the workload on support teams. From incident reporting to simple HR queries, it provides real-time assistance exactly when and where it’s needed. And with properly tagged content, AI ensures the information surfaced is always the latest, most up-to-date version, no matter where staff are located.
4. Analysis of complex information and knowledge discovery
When analysing large volumes of complex information, AI can quickly identify patterns, uncover trends, and surface meaningful insights. It can also generate concise summaries of lengthy reports, making market analyses and data-heavy documents easier to digest. This equips SMEs and leadership teams with the insights they need to make swift decisions and adapt operations in response to shifting demands, helping them maintain a competitive edge.
5. Data governance and compliance
In some industries, it may be possible to prepare and prepopulate this information in advance, accelerating the governance audit process by reducing the need for revisions. This is especially critical in organisations that produce multiple versions to meet local regulatory requirements. However, while technology can speed up content production, human checks remain essential at this stage.
6. Tagging sensitive or confidential information
A robust tagging system helps safeguard confidential information by flagging sensitive content and applying the correct access levels, ensuring only authorised staff can view it. Your AI system can automate this tagging by analysing content context and assigning appropriate permissions, which reduces errors and keeping your data safe.
7. Creating personal development programs
Personalised learning plans can be crafted based on staff roles and the expertise needed to complete daily tasks and advance within the organisation, enabling targeted skill development and more effective training through intelligent automation.
8. Capturing knowledge
Knowledge managers can use AI to transcribe meetings, read documents, and extract key information efficiently. By capturing critical expertise and knowledge, this process helps reduce knowledge loss when employees leave (read our blog on the top ways to prevent knowledge leaks).
9. Facilitating knowledge sharing
Foster a knowledge-sharing culture by using AI to promote collaboration and break down information silos, making content accessible across the organisation. While AI can support this, building a lasting culture of collaboration requires dedicated, ongoing effort. Schedule regular sharing sessions, kick off the day with daily scrum meetings, and embed knowledge exchange into team routines. Then use technology to document decisions, transcribe key sessions, and distribute insights across teams.
10. Boosting collaboration
Identifying the right subject matter experts based on roles, qualifications, and experience helps connect teams and spark meaningful collaboration. AI systems can streamline this process, ensuring the right people are solicited whenever they need to be.
AI-driven knowledge management strategies that unlock innovation
AI offers a wide range of benefits for knowledge managers, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Each organisation is different, and the way you leverage technology should reflect your unique culture and needs.
Start by identifying repetitive or time-consuming tasks, or consider how you can free up your SMEs to focus on high-value work. Once you’ve mapped out these opportunities, explore the tools that can help automate and simplify the workflows. The industry is evolving rapidly, but it’s not the first time. With the right approach, knowledge managers can turn change into a competitive advantage.
