Tales from the AI Trenches: A Consultant's Perspective

It’s been 4 decades of helping companies transform themselves by adopting major technological breakthroughs. From the PCs to cellphones, the web, the cloud, social media and finally AI. Each one of them has had unique characteristics and challenges but we can draw from lessons learned and apply them to AI.

It is not uncommon to see how companies can hop on the AI train with lightning speed, committing important resources without clearly understanding or defining ROI and impact.  A lot of enthusiasm, no strategy.

These companies need to press pause. Spend time in mapping their processes and CX, understanding their data infrastructure, and identifying genuine problems that AI could solve. In the long run they will spend much less but create a much larger impact by focusing on specific, well-defined use cases.

I believe that the most important pitfalls to avoid are :

The Hidden Costs

A company might identify a ready-to-go AI solution that is relatively inexpensive, but because of a lack of experience and analysis, they have missed the true cost of implementation. From the need of new infrastructure, preparing the data infrastructure to retraining whole teams.

Suddenly the bargain is leaving the balance sheet shockingly red.  Companies need to be able to map the true costs of AI implementation and adopt a phased approach that spreads out the cost , trains personnel and can demonstrate ROI as soon as possible before scaling.

The Culture Clash

Cultural resistance can make a disaster of what is on paper a perfect solution. Company veterans with years or even decades of experience and well-developed instincts, will feel threatened and undermined. This can take the form of inaccurate feedback recommendations and/or ignoring them altogether. The solution is a blend of technical and human. Instead of designing AI systems to replace human workers, adopt  a hybrid approach : this will reduce risk and at the same time, ensure buy-in that will result in a fortified AI adoption strategy. 

The Data Delusion

Perhaps the most common issue to encounter is what I call "the data delusion" – the belief that having lots of data means you're ready for AI. Companies might have terabytes of data but most of it can be unstructured, inconsistent, and siloed in incompatible systems.

Depending on the industry you’ll need to consider the legal and regulatory implications of AI. You need to focus on data governance, standardization, and compliance before you can effectively use AI.

Through our own experience and sharing notes with our colleagues I've identified several key principles for successful AI adoption. Obviously the weight of these principles will vary for different types and sizes of organizations. But.. here they are:

1. Start with the problem, not the technology. The best AI implementations solve specific, well-defined business challenges.

2. Count the true costs. Factor in data preparation, infrastructure updates, training, and change management – not just software licenses.

3. Culture eats AI for breakfast. The most sophisticated AI system will fail if it doesn't align with organizational culture and workflows.

4. Data readiness is critical. Assess your data infrastructure, quality, and governance before committing to AI projects.

5. Phase implementations carefully. Start small, prove value, and scale gradually.

6. Invest in your people. The success of AI initiatives depends more on human factors than technical ones.

Looking Forward

The companies that succeed with AI aren't necessarily those with the biggest budgets or the most advanced technology. They're the ones that approach AI adoption with patience, pragmatism, and a clear understanding of their organizational capabilities and limitations.

Remember, AI implementation isn't a sprint to the future – it's a thoughtful journey of organizational transformation. The goal isn't to be the first to adopt AI, but to be among those who adopt it successfully and sustainably.

Are you ready to adopt artificial intelligence with a solid strategy? Contact us for personalized consulting.

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