The primary business applications for AI can be categorized into two work streams: accelerating 'speed to market' and creating 'agentic' experiences to assist customers and employees.
Successful 'speed to market' automation requires complete alignment from every stakeholder involved in the process, highlighting a significant organizational challenge.
A key strategic filter for any AI initiative is whether it directly helps customers buy or assists associates in selling; if not, it should be reconsidered.
Businesses are advised to adopt an incremental approach to AI implementation ('don't boil the ocean') to manage complexity and achieve faster value.
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Concerns Raised
Difficulty in achieving complete stakeholder alignment for automation initiatives.
Risk of implementing AI for its own sake without a clear business case.
Potential to alienate customers if 'speed to market' is prioritized over a good customer experience.
Opportunities Identified
Leveraging AI to significantly accelerate the time it takes to bring products or campaigns to market.
Developing 'agentic' AI tools to directly assist customers in their buying journey and empower sales associates.
Using a clear framework to simplify and focus AI strategy across the organization.