AI Unlocks Knowledge at a Medium-Sized Organization

Due to aging, a wealth of practical knowledge threatened to leave the organization. In large organizations, about one in five employees is already over 55. Much valuable expertise was only in the heads of seniors and was not shared. 84% of employees experience it as a great loss when such an expert retires without knowledge transfer, and nearly half (47%) have had to figure something out themselves because that transfer was lacking. At the same time, a lot of duplicate work and frustration arose: employees spent a significant part of their day searching for information that already existed elsewhere. An MGI study found that an average of 19% of the workweek is spent searching and gathering information – time not spent on actual execution.

The organization decided to gather all implicit and explicit knowledge into one searchable AI knowledge base. In-depth interviews were conducted with senior experts, and their work was followed for several weeks (through video/recordings and monitoring system usage) to capture knowledge. Additionally, existing documents and manuals from SharePoint, emails, and other systems were linked to the knowledge base. Real-time data from professional applications was also unlocked via API connections. KOALA (Knowledge Optimization and Learning Assistant) indexed all these sources and learned the context. New and current employees can ask questions via KOALA in plain language – typed or spoken – and the AI instantly searches all sources for the best answer.

Added value of AI (KOALA): KOALA acts as an AI-driven knowledge broker that assists the user in their normal workflow. The threshold is low because one can simply ask questions as if consulting a colleague, without having to learn a new system. This led to quick acceptance. Employees no longer have to think about where to look for an answer; KOALA automatically searches the entire knowledge base and presents one consistent answer. This prevents duplicate or contradictory information from circulating. Moreover, critical professional knowledge is retained within the organization, even if an expert leaves. The AI is available 24/7 and does not "fill up," meaning new documents and experiences are continuously added. As employees notice that they receive almost immediate useful answers to their questions, trust and usage grow. Ultimately, KOALA becomes an integral tool in daily work, comparable to a very experienced colleague who is always available.

Within a few months of implementation, there was a clear cultural shift. New employees complete their onboarding process faster because they receive direct help from KOALA instead of waiting hours or days for available colleagues. The number of times work was duplicated visibly decreased, as people now consult the knowledge base first. This increased efficiency and led to more standardization in work methods: everyone uses the same up-to-date information source. The quality of decisions and performed tasks increased because the AI system consistently provides the most relevant procedures and guidelines. The organization has more control over its knowledge: crucial information is no longer lost upon retirement or departure but remains accessible for the next generation of employees.