Take your first step in AI: Build your own company assistant

This morning at The Horton in Epsom, the room buzzed with energy as Oliver Byrne from Invotra shared a lively and practical talk, “Take your first step in AI: Build your own company assistant.” Part of The Epsom Business Club’s breakfast networking series, the session unpacked how small and medium-sized businesses can tap into the power of artificial intelligence (AI) without the jargon or hefty price tag.

AI: more than a buzzword

Oliver kicked off by putting AI firmly in perspective. “AI isn’t here to steal your job,” he said with a grin, “it’s here to make it better.” From early chatbots to today’s autonomous AI business assistants, the shift has been dramatic.

These days, AI isn’t just answering questions—it’s handling tasks, booking meetings, qualifying leads, and supporting staff around the clock. It’s fast becoming an essential part of how forward-thinking SMEs operate.

From chatbots to company assistants

Invotra’s work with AI shows how businesses can weave intelligence right into their workflows. Modern AI business assistants can interact with CRMs, HR systems, and customer support tools, learning from every exchange.

Oliver highlighted that 59% of UK startups are already using AI, and usage is growing by 35% year on year. The message? It’s no longer a futuristic extra—it’s a competitive necessity.

Real-world success stories

He shared several examples showing how AI delivers measurable results:

• JP Morgan saw a 2% sales increase after introducing AI to coach its sales teams.

• EY deployed more than 150 AI assistants to support 8,000 employees.

• Khan Academy introduced a GPT-based tutor, transforming access to education across languages and borders.

And for smaller companies? London’s Gourmet Cakes saw revenue rise by 40% with an AI order assistant, while Willow Fashion & Beauty achieved a 50% boost in order value through AI-driven upselling.

Start small, think big

Oliver urged businesses to resist the temptation to “just add AI” for the bragging rights. Instead, identify a clear pain point—slow responses, repetitive admin, or missed customer enquiries—and tackle that first.

“You wouldn’t buy trainers that don’t fit,” he said. “So don’t plug in AI that doesn’t suit your business.”

His roadmap for adopting artificial intelligence was refreshingly straightforward:

1. Define your goals, voice, and purpose – be clear about what success looks like.

2. Prepare your data – clean, up-to-date content means better AI output.

3. Build, test, and refine – feedback helps your AI business assistant learn faster.

4. Measure results and scale up – focus on small wins before expanding.

From SEO to AEO: the next evolution

One of Oliver’s most intriguing points was about AEO—AI Engine Optimisation, the natural next step from SEO.

As people increasingly ask AI tools for business recommendations (“Find me the best solicitor in Surrey”), it’s crucial that your company becomes the one those engines trust and suggest. That means offering rich, consistent data across your website, social media, and reviews—while keeping your human visitors engaged too.

A people-first approach to AI

Oliver’s warmth and humour made the tech talk relatable. His message was simple: AI should serve your people, not replace them. Whether you’re a designer, consultant, or café owner, your AI assistant should take care of the tedious stuff so you can focus on what really matters—building relationships, creating, and growing your business.

By the end of the morning, the Epsom Business Club crowd left with plenty of ideas (and a few excited glints in their eyes) about how to build their own AI-powered company assistant.

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Find out more about Oliver Byrne and how Invotra is helping organisations of all sizes use artificial intelligence to work smarter, faster, and with a human touch.