Navigating the J-curve of AI adoption challenges

Two years ago, I had a conversation with the CFO of a traditional mid-size corporation. When I asked if they were interested in implementing AI, his response was: “When we stop sending invoices by fax, then maybe we’ll think about AI.” That was the reality then. For many non-tech industries like pharma, law firms, manufacturing, travel, hospitality AI felt distant, futuristic, “not for us.” Fast forward to today and the picture has completely changed. - Companies that once considered themselves “too traditional” are now actively reaching out, looking for AI solutions. - They don’t just want to experiment, they want to leapfrog digital transformation and move directly into AI transformation. - What changed? The maturity of the technology, the falling entry barriers, and a growing awareness that not adopting AI is a much bigger risk than adopting it. For us at iForAI, this shift is exciting. These companies often have enormous inefficiencies, so the impact of AI is immediate and tangible. A single automation can save dozens of hours each month. The message is clear: AI is no longer a “tech story.” It’s everyone’s story.

The AI Transformation Paradox: Is Your Organization Ready for the Future? Let's be honest: AI transformation is much harder than the hype would have you believe. 🚨 Despite the promise of massive productivity gains, the reality for most organizations is that bridging the gap from existing skills to true AI literacy is a major hurdle. The issue isn't the technology itself, it's the readiness of the people and the organization's ability to adapt. This is the AI Transformation Paradox. AI capabilities have already far outpaced not only user knowledge and tool proficiency, but also the organization's ability to leverage AI at enterprise scale. MIT research confirms what we're seeing: 95% of AI initiatives are failing, not because the technology doesn't work, but because companies underestimate the fundamental shift required in behaviors and culture. This isn't just a simple technology migration; it's a complete change in how people think and work. AI introduces a new way of approaching knowledge work that demands different skills, training, and organizational foundations. The chasm between what's possible and what's currently being realized is vast, and it's getting wider every day. The question isn't if your organization will transform, but if you'll be prepared to lead it. #aiintelligence

AI is not just another tool, it’s an agent. For the first time in history we are creating something that could compete with us: something that can learn, decide, invent, and create by itself. As Yuval Noah Harari highlights, AI is still a baby, and it’s learning from us. And that gives today’s leaders a powerful responsibility. How we act, what we design, and the systems we build will shape the way AI evolves. We are not teaching it by what we say but by what we do. The next 5 to 10 years will redefine industries, societies, and human potential. Finance, healthcare, education, and creativity, nothing will remain untouched. AI will unlock unprecedented opportunities, but also enormous risks if we fail to modernize workflows, upskill people, and keep human intelligence at the center. This is where Mia AI comes in. We partner with leaders to: -Modernize workflows -Upskill teams with human + AI capabilities  -Design responsible AI strategies that unlock speed, scale, and innovation -Future-proof organizations: preparing teams to compete, innovate, and thrive in a world where AI evolves faster than business If we do this right AI won’t replace us, it will free us. It will shift us from repetitive tasks into higher-order creative and intellectual work. But if we ignore this moment, we risk leaving people behind as the pace of change accelerates. The future isn’t AI versus humans. The future belongs to those who understand human-AI collaboration. And the time is now.

Most AI pilots don’t fail on the technology. They fail to prove value. Without proper funding criteria and governance, pilots often stall before they can scale. 📊 What the evidence shows: ·        MIT reports that only ~5% of generative-AI projects deliver measurable impact, proving value is the bottleneck. ·        Flexera highlights how poor visibility of the technology estate drains resources and blocks scale-up. ·        Shadow IT is rising as business units adopt tools outside enterprise oversight, making governance (and therefore scaling) harder. Result: lots of activity; too little impact. That’s exactly why I built the Business Technology Impact Report (BTIR) link in comment: ✅ Complimentary, 5-minute diagnostic ✅ Benchmarks technology across 10 categories, including AI & Automation-driven value ✅ Instantly identifies your #1 priority for the next 90 days ✅ Executive-ready, confidential, no obligation 👉 If you were making the case to scale AI, which proof point would matter most in your organisation: cost, risk, revenue, or innovation? #Leadership #ExecutiveStrategy #DigitalTransformation #DigitalRenovation #AI #BTIR

Learning from Andrew Ng at Techtopia: AI Transformation Reality Check Andrew Ng's insights on moving "from hype to impact" reinforced crucial lessons for any organization pursuing AI transformation. The Dual-Policy Approach: Successful AI implementation requires both top-down AND bottom-up strategies. While bottom-up engagement is easier to implement and encourages experimentation, top-down leadership remains critical for concentrating resources on breakthrough projects that truly make an impact. AI Coding Democratization: Fascinating to learn that at AI Fund, everyone codes - CFO, receptionist, lawyers. They all create tools to upgrade their own work efficiency. This democratization of AI capabilities could revolutionize how organizations operate. The Sandbox Imperative: Perhaps most importantly: organizations must be "willing to test." Innovation dies when every small experiment requires 5-person approval chains. AI transformation demands speed and experimentation culture. Andrew's reminder: "AI will not replace someone, but AI will replace someone who does not use AI." At AWE Intelligence, we see this playing out in logistics and warehouse operations - the future belongs to those who embrace both the technology and the transformation mindset. #Techtopia2025 #AITransformation #AndrewNg #AWEIntelligence

When it comes to AI in the boardroom, fear often dominates the conversation. - Fear of job loss. - Fear of black-box decisions. - Fear of regulatory risk. But here’s the truth: boards that lean into AI with curiosity, discipline, and governance will be better positioned than those that sit on the sidelines. 1. AI can enhance oversight by surfacing risks and opportunities that might otherwise go unseen. 2. It can accelerate decision-making by bringing data together in real time. 3. It can strengthen governance by making monitoring more consistent and transparent. The key isn’t to fear AI, it’s to frame it properly: AI is a tool, not a substitute for judgment. Boards that embrace this balance, curiosity + rigor, will lead companies that are faster, smarter, and more resilient. What do you think: is your board leaning toward caution, adoption, or both?

Operations is often the engine of any business, where strategy becomes execution. As industries evolve, so must our tools. And today, one of the most powerful tools at our disposal is Artificial Intelligence (AI). For many in operational roles, AI can feel like a threat, something that might replace people, automate jobs, or take over long standing processes. But the reality is far more empowering. AI isn’t here to replace us, it’s here to enhance what we do. Combining AI and human expertise creates a partnership. While people bring the creativity, judgment, and leadership; AI provides speed, precision and can process massive amounts of data instantly. This balance allows operations to move faster, smarter, and with greater precision than ever before. The key is mindset. Rather than resisting change, we need to lead it. Working with AI means using it as a tool to amplify human decision making, not eliminate it. The industries that thrive in the next decade will be the ones that seamlessly integrate between people and AI. And in operations, that integration has the power to unlock incredible efficiency, expandability, and innovation. Let’s stop seeing AI as a threat and start seeing it for what it truly is, an opportunity. #AI #Operations #Innovation #FutureOfWork #Progression

**AI: From Invention to Innovation — The Entrepreneur's Moment** The core challenge of AI today isn’t its creation but its application. While AI has been heralded as transformative, we’re still in the early days of turning invention into innovation. Joseph Schumpeter’s distinction underscores this: invention creates capabilities; innovation generates tangible market value. An example from our portfolio at Strattam Capital is Netstock's Opportunity Engine, a conversational AI tool advising users in real-time on inventory decisions. This innovation saves time, enhances outcomes, and builds trust—delivering measurable results and new revenue streams. The fact remains: AI’s widespread integration into financial statements is nascent, but therein lies the opportunity. How is your organization navigating this shift from AI invention to true innovation?

Most AI failures don’t come from bad tech. They come from saying ‘yes’ too often. Saying “no” is how strategy wins. In almost every client I meet, the challenge isn’t a lack of AI ideas. It’s too many of them. Chatbots, copilots, content generators, predictive models… The list grows faster than the business case. Here’s the truth: focus beats frenzy. The teams that scale AI don’t chase every shiny object. They double down on the one use case tied directly to revenue, efficiency, or risk reduction. That first win? 1. It’s what earns the next budget line. 2. It’s what builds leadership confidence. 3. It’s what transforms “AI hype” into “AI impact.” So yes, saying no to 10 ideas might feel hard. But it’s the one “yes” that makes AI stick. 👉 Agree or disagree: Is focus the most underrated AI strategy?

This AI Creativity Trap is Gutting Your Growth: "“We have to do more with less” has become an inescapable mantra, and goodness, are you trying. You’ve slashed projects and budgets, “right-sized” teams, and tried any technology that promised efficiency and a free trial. Now, all that’s left is to replace the people you still have with AI creativity tools. Welcome to the era of the AI Innovation Team. It sounds like a great idea. Now, everyone can be an innovator with access to an LLM. Heck, even innovation firms are “outsourcing” their traditional work to AI, promising the same radical results with less time and for far less money. It sounds almost too good to be true. Because it is too good to be true ..." Continue reading Robyn M. Bolton's latest guest post for the global Human-Centered Change & Innovation community here: https://lnkd.in/dvHBN9YN #ai #creativity #growth #innovation