AI First: more investment, more opportunities

The cycle is virtuous: according to data from the market consulting firm Gartner, 55% of organizations that have some previous experience with artificial intelligence (AI) solutions are considering continuing to use this technology in their new projects. This is the first step towards the strategy known as AI First.

It has already happened with Mobile First in the world of mobile applications or Cloud First in the cloud. This is an approach whereby the IT picture naturally evolves towards AI, so that this technology is evaluated in a mature way for each possible use case, regardless of the area of the organization for which it applies.

IA thus begins to occupy a central place in the organization. According to IDC, spending on AI-centric systems will exceed US$300 billion worldwide by 2026.

Today, AI is positioned as the core technology for optimizing forecasting, customer service, marketing, products, manufacturing and bug detection. At the same time, it enables a deep understanding of customer preferences and the evaluation of innovative alternatives to create competitive advantages.

Here’s how an AI First strategy can help you take your business to a new level.

AI First: risks and benefits analysis

AI First is not synonymous with «implement AI in all circumstances». For each new opportunity, a risk analysis must be performed to establish whether or not it is convenient to go ahead with the project. This includes aspects such as ethics and responsibility in the use of AI or taking care of regulations related to data privacy. In many cases, an increasingly distinct trend is emerging: the participation of legal consultants in the phase of ideation of new AI use cases.

Along the same lines, the Gartner report found that more than half (52%) of the companies that are evaluating AI for all their initiatives also consider risk as a critical part of the project.

Another aspect that First AI organizations consider when analyzing the potential implementation of this technology is how it impacts customers and their experience. According to the report, 47% of the most AI-mature companies consider that its use benefits customer service. An organization is considered «mature» if it has used AI in at least five different ways in different business units over three years.

AI Maturity Curve

As organizations move up the maturity curve in their adoption of AI, they tend to pay less attention to projects linked to optimization, productivity enhancement or cost reduction. 

At the same time, they begin to focus on ideas that have a direct impact on profitability, such as support for the development of new products or services that are focused on consumers’ needs. In the same line comes the development of digital business models. And, of course, the deployment of customer experiences that ensure higher levels of loyalty.

The existence of measurable objectives at the beginning of a project is another of the differential factors of an AI First organization: this not only allows estimating what the business impact will be, but also reinforces the involvement of senior management in the projects, further stimulating the aforementioned virtuous cycle.

Placing artificial intelligence at the center of the strategy is undoubtedly a very smart move for all organizations that are planning to lead in the near future. 

Does your organization need a technology partner to move forward on an AI First strategy? Our experts are waiting for your call: Schedule a meeting!