How organizations can reap the benefits of AI, according to an exec who has spent his career helping companies innovate
The AI revolution has begun — and there are already some clear winners.
But it's not just a question of who's doing it best or who did it first — when it comes to AI leadership, it's about who's seeing tangible returns on their investment.
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Those lagging behind aren't missing out because they don't see the value of AI; they do. Instead, they are slowed down by uncertainties about having the proper data and data management strategies to ensure they can use AI most effectively. They are also daunted by the thought that they might have to manage multiple cloud platforms. Strategically, they'll need to move from proof-of-concept to realizing value at scale. That will require a number of considerations, like data readiness, trust, and the right talent. Wrestling with all these challenges is stunting their AI progress.
So how can these organizations — who are still in the phase of learning techniques and best practices for AI excellence — catch up to their peers who are already reaping the benefits? The key is to take a step back from technology and define the specific opportunities and solutions AI can offer their organization. With a strategic goal in mind, an organization can develop an AI plan. This pre-work can help pave the way for organizations to develop an AI roadmap detailing how automation will help reach these goals.
Defining the overall strategy
According to Shobhit Varshney, VP and Senior Partner, Americas AI Leader at IBM Consulting, many organizations struggle to bridge the gap between AI ambition and practical implementation. To succeed, they must align their AI initiatives with clear business objectives and create new processes that enhance ways of working. By integrating AI within a larger strategic framework, companies can better prioritize their investments and focus on concrete, measurable outcomes.
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"We start with the companies' 'true north.' What is their business strategy?" Varshney said. "From there, you break that down into the organization's processes and workflows. Eventually you'll find key high-value workflows and for those you figure out how to apply the right blend of AI, automation, and generative AI. Grounding AI models in your workflow, your processes, and your enterprise data is what creates value."
Reaping the benefits of augmented intelligence
Varshney notes that augmented intelligence — the act of leveraging AI to enhance human cognitive performance, decision-making, and creativity — is one way the tech can help organizations and their employees. For example, one organization might use AI to automate menial tasks that free up workers' time and energy to focus on high-level decision-making. When implemented effectively, augmented intelligence and AI can improve efficiency and contribute to a company's bottom line.
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In these scenarios, a clear strategic vision is key.
"The AI roadmap should be the company's strategy that's fueled by AI, data, process, people, and culture," he said.
Choosing your AI champions
When looking to identify AI opportunities, organizations should begin by polling their staff. Varshney notes that this step is often overlooked because many organizations outsource the task to an external team of elite AI engineers. But that's not going to garner the best results.
"It should come from the grassroots," he said.
The delicate balance of human-AI tandem needs to be driven by the people who are closest to the processes and understand where AI can truly augment and empower them.
Once the project has been identified, AI leaders need to champion the technology, both at the senior executive level and within their team. "If you have a champion who's, say, the chief marketing officer, and that person is willing to out-compete the competition and invest in future growth, then that energy flows down the organization," Varshney said.
These champions will require support, too. They need training in AI ethics, the right set of tools available, and a culture in which AI will truly augment their workflow.
Developing AI leadership is not simply a matter of adopting AI and cloud services and connecting data silos. To successfully embrace the opportunities of AI, organizations must first draw up a strategic vision that is going to have a real impact. Once they do, they can deploy technology in ways that augment human intelligence. And with the right buy-in from executives at the top, an organization can follow its roadmap to true AI leadership.
This post was created by Insider Studios with IBM.
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