{"id":10825,"date":"2026-09-23T13:38:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T13:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justfineinfotech.com\/how-to-turn-your-business-ai-interest-into-practical-secure-results\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T13:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T13:38:25","slug":"how-to-turn-your-business-ai-interest-into-practical-secure-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justfineinfotech.com\/fr\/how-to-turn-your-business-ai-interest-into-practical-secure-results\/","title":{"rendered":"How to turn your business\u2019 AI interest into practical, secure results"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>How to turn your business\u2019 AI interest into practical, secure results<\/h2>\n<p>19 hours ago<\/p>\n<p><em>Sept. 22, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This piece is sponsored by Direct Companies<\/p>\n<p>For many businesses, the first use of artificial intelligence has been simple: rewriting an email, summarizing a document, formatting notes or testing a free version of ChatGPT to see what it can do<\/p>\n<p>The next stage of AI adoption can be much more powerful: It\u2019s when AI begins to complete tasks, connect systems, analyze data, support customer service, improve reporting, strengthen decision-making and help employees work more efficiently<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also the time when additional risks, complexities and missed opportunities can arise \u2014 unless you have the right partner<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where Sioux Falls-based Direct and Workplace by Direct are expanding their work<\/p>\n<p>Rather than approaching AI as another subscription or stand-alone tool, Direct is helping businesses understand where artificial intelligence and business process automation can create practical, measurable value, as well as where a more traditional automation solution might be the better fit<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur belief is AI where you need it, not just AI to check the box,\u201d CEO Paul Zweifel said<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe help clients determine when AI is the right solution and when traditional business automation is the better fit, ensuring they get the right technology without paying for AI when they don\u2019t need it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The expanded service reflects the combined expertise across Direct, including business technology, data management, industrial automation, security, systems integration and managed IT services<\/p>\n<p>It also builds on work Direct has been doing for years<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDirect and Workplace by Direct have a long history of using automation both within our own business and to support our clients,\u201d Zweifel said. \u201cIn the industrial market, AI and advanced automation have been part of our work since Direct was founded. In our managed services business, we have also used automated workflows for many years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What has changed is how quickly AI is moving into everyday business operations<\/p>\n<p>Large language models, custom GPTs and AI embedded into applications, search engines and business software have created opportunities for companies of all sizes. But they also have created questions about security, governance, employee training, data privacy, implementation and monitoring<\/p>\n<p>For the past couple of years, Direct has been building its capabilities around those needs<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have been developing our security offerings, AI policies, training, tools, help desk components and staffing to support our clients from end to end with AI,\u201d Zweifel said. \u201cWe have a really comprehensive solution, and we\u2019re not just checking a box with AI.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Discovering the opportunity<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>For many businesses, the first step is simply understanding where they are<\/p>\n<p>Brad Bell, business development analyst for Direct, works with clients to identify how they are using AI now, where they want to go and what business processes might be improved<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight now, clients are trying to figure out what step one is,\u201d Bell said. \u201cA lot of people are using free versions of ChatGPT and other models to dump stuff in and try to have it reorganize it \u2014 reformat, make it look pretty, draft emails, make sure they\u2019re in the right context. That\u2019s AI today that people are playing with. The future is: Where is AI going to get the job done and actually do the tasks on my behalf?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For small and midsized businesses, that can require stepping back from the daily workflow long enough to ask whether a process should still be done manually<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn most small to medium-sized businesses, people wake up every day doing their job, clicking the things they do, going through the motions without maybe asking the question: Should I have to do this all the time?\u201d Bell said. \u201cThey need someone like us to do some discovery, ask the questions, talk about what could be automated and show how that can save time and re<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, the opportunity is obvious only when someone new asks why a process exists<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/justfineinfotech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AU5A8057.jpeg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen new team members start and begin asking questions, that\u2019s the most important person to listen to,\u201d Bell said. \u201cIf they\u2019re asking why things are the way they are, it\u2019s really about what\u2019s not right in our system that they have to do that function. Nobody has ever questioned it \u2014 they just do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A common example might be copying and pasting the same information into <a href=\"https:\/\/justfineinfotech.com\/fr\/wordpress-multiple-vulnerabilities\/\" title=\"WordPress pr\u00e9sente de multiples vuln\u00e9rabilit\u00e9s\">multiple<\/a> places or moving data from a customer relationship management system into accounting software. That might not require AI at all \u2014 it might be better solved through workflow automation<\/p>\n<p>But AI can take automation further when context, interpretation or decision support is needed<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAI is a solution to business automation,\u201d Bell said. \u201cBusiness automation has been around forever, and Direct has been doing automation a long time. AI can listen, interpret what you want done, confirm with you \u2014 which we call human in the loop, which is very important these days \u2014 and then the human approves the actions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That \u201chuman in the loop\u201d approach is important because AI is not perfect, he added<\/p>\n<p>For customer-facing uses such as voice or chat agents, companies need to be especially careful that the experience is accurate and easy to navigate<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe customer should only have to ask for a person or human one time,\u201d Bell said. \u201cNo more pressing zero 17 times.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Setting the example<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Direct already is using AI internally in ways that show what is possible<\/p>\n<p>For sales research, the company built an AI agent that can research a prospective customer, identify key stakeholders, pull information from  for the salesperson<\/p>\n<p>Sales staff previously could spend an hour to 90 minutes just trying to understand a prospective customer before outreach<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe took that research out of their hands,\u201d Bell said. \u201cThat\u2019s where a job got done for the salesperson, and I didn\u2019t realize how much time they were spending until a couple months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the data management and software side, AI also is changing how quickly work can be completed<\/p>\n<p>Dan Buresh, director of data management, works across integration, software, automation and AI. He said recent changes in AI-assisted software development have been dramatic<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur front-end development and quality assurance testing are all done through AI,\u201d Buresh said. \u201cDevelopers who might have needed five people to put out a million lines of code, we\u2019re putting that out with one developer in a month.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>AI also is creating opportunities in lead generation, lead enrichment and sales support. Direct can take large lead lists, enrich them with additional information, identify decision-makers and use AI-supported calling or screening to narrow the list to the most promising opportunities<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt helps fill gaps and do what we do, but do it better,\u201d he said<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Industry applications<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The applications extend far beyond office work<\/p>\n<p>Direct works with manufacturers and processors across a wide range of industries, including ethanol, food and beverage, water and wastewater, oil and gas, and other industrial environments where large volumes of operational data flow through production systems<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/justfineinfotech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AU5A6945.jpeg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Historically, analyzing that data to identify patterns, trends or rn computing power allow that analysis to happen more efficiently and, increasingly, in real time<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the power of AI and data centers, we can look at data in real time and do pattern tracking and be more proactive rather than reactive to identify issues before they\u2019re happening,\u201d Buresh said. \u201cNow with AI, it definitely broadens our horizon in regard to how we can apply it to large data sets and what information we can get from it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The goal is not to eliminate jobs, he added, but to redirect people toward higher-value work<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt comes down to efficiency,\u201d Buresh said. \u201cIt\u2019s not about job elimination but redirection \u2014 making people more efficient to focus on what they need to focus on. Now, we\u2019re making decisions based on data versus gut feelings and what we had done in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Before companies move too far into AI, though, they need a foundation<\/p>\n<p>Governance and policy come first, Buresh said. Organizations need to define how employees can use AI, what tools are approved, what data can be entered and what guardrails are needed based on industry risk<\/p>\n<p>For example, a healthcare organization requires higher levels of data control to ensure patient information is not submitted into an uncontained AI solution<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith uncontained AI, they can take the data and use it to train their model,\u201d Buresh said. \u201cContained means anything you upload is private to you, and it protects your data.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>From there, Direct helps with training, monitoring and management<\/p>\n<p>Employees need to understand the guardrails, why AI matters and the security risks involved. Leaders need to understand cost, liability and organizational risk. And users need training on how to prompt effectively and avoid costly or unproductive AI use<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you prompt AI the wrong way, it can go down a road that creates a lot of cost with very little results,\u201d Buresh said<\/p>\n<p>Monitoring also matters. Once policies are in place and employees are trained, organizations need to know if someone is attempting to use an unapproved tool or if AI use is creating risk<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat establishes a foundation for <a href=\"https:\/\/justfineinfotech.com\/fr\/introducing-claude-opus-5-5\/\" title=\"Introducing Claude Opus 5.5\">introducing<\/a> AI into your organization,\u201d Buresh said<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Internal workforce development<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Direct is investing in talent and training to support that work. The company has added highly trained staff with doctoral-level expertise to develop systems and processes, and it has supported university training and certifications for team members. It also launched Direct University to provide internal mini-trainings that help employees continue growing their skills<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is important to ensure we are highly trained in what we provide our customers,\u201d Zweifel said<\/p>\n<p>A major differentiator, Buresh said, is the breadth of Direct\u2019s technology expertise<\/p>\n<p>The team can look across business processes, manufacturing equipment, camera systems, software, managed IT, security, access control, data and automation rather than approaching AI from a single discipline<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat sets us apart from other providers is that we cover such a broad scope in technology that we can look at your company holistically and help implement solutions across not just your business processes but your manufacturing equipment, your camera systems and multifaceted software,\u201d Buresh said. \u201cWe have the experts and can provide a solution that covers the company across its entirety.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/justfineinfotech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AU5A8730.jpeg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>That can include advanced uses such as camera-based recognition tools, facility security applications, business process automation, reporting, integrations, AI agents and operational data analysis<\/p>\n<p>For businesses, the entry point does not have to be a massive transformation<\/p>\n<p>It might start with discovery: watching how work is done, identifying repetitive tasks, determining where employees are spending time and deciding whether automation or AI can help<\/p>\n<p>From there, Direct can support implementation, analysis, security, ongoing monitoring and support<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re one team now that can bring solutions from a lot of different facets,\u201d Bell said<\/p>\n<p>For Zweifel, that\u2019s the long-term value Direct\u00a0is positioned to provide as AI becomes more embedded in everyday business tools<\/p>\n<p>\u201cResponsible use of AI is imperative because there are so many consequences if you don\u2019t provide the policy, training, guardrails, monitoring and refinement as line-of-business apps grow and embed AI,\u201d he said<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAI and business automation are the future, and they will help our clients do quicker, better and more complete tasks than they have done in the past. We want to be the partner that helps them get there but ultimately helps them stay stable and secure in terms of IT and data.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To begin learning how Direct and Workplace by Direct can support your organization\u2019s AI journey, call to schedule your AI readiness conversation today at 605-800-4010 or click here to learn more about business automation and AI<\/p>\n<p>Tags: \u00a0DirectWorkplace by Direct<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;margin:30px 0 15px 0\">\n<p>\n    <strong>En rapport:<\/strong><br \/>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/yoursite.com\/automation-training-benin\/\" title=\"Formation en automatisation num\u00e9rique au B\u00e9nin\u00a0: 5 comp\u00e9tences cl\u00e9s recherch\u00e9es par les employeurs en 2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n      Formation en automatisation num\u00e9rique au B\u00e9nin\u00a0: 5 comp\u00e9tences cl\u00e9s recherch\u00e9es par les employeurs en 2026<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<p>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/yoursite.com\/automation-africa\/\" title=\"Automatisation du marketing WhatsApp en Afrique\u00a0: 6 erreurs dangereuses commises par les marques au Nig\u00e9ria\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n      Automatisation du marketing WhatsApp en Afrique\u00a0: 6 erreurs dangereuses commises par les marques au Nig\u00e9ria<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;margin:30px 0;padding:25px;background:#f8f9fc;border:1px solid #ddd;border-radius:8px;text-align:center\">\n<h3>Vous souhaitez apprendre cela de mani\u00e8re pratique ?<\/h3>\n<p>Rejoindre <strong>Justfine Infotech<\/strong> et d\u00e9velopper de v\u00e9ritables comp\u00e9tences num\u00e9riques en IA, automatisation, d\u00e9veloppement web, marketing digital, bureautique, e-commerce, travail ind\u00e9pendant et cybers\u00e9curit\u00e9.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Programmes disponibles :<\/strong><br \/>\n  6 semaines <a 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formatting notes or testing a free version of ChatGPT to see what it can do<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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