Expert Labs — Guiding the AI Journey

Francis of Assisi reportedly stated: “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

Just thinking about Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a daunting task for some organizations, let alone getting started or implementing it. Most people associate AI with software, hardware and hybrid cloud. True — and organizations can start experimenting with data and AI services in the cloud (or local downloads) either as part of no charge trial or on a pay-as-you-go basis. Organizations that are ready to make a platform approach might opt for Cloud Pak for Data System — an optimized data and AI platform designed to accelerate the AI journey with preintegrated and preconfigured components — and designed to scale to meet future needs.

The journey to AI necessitates sufficient skills and expertise in order to successfully execute an AI solution or craft an AI strategy. Not every organization has these skills.

Ready… Set…. Wait for it….

When embarking on a journey or an adventure, we often make a check list of what we need, who we plan to take with us, assess whether we have the maturity to make the journey, whether our mode of transport will get us there, whether we have enough fuel, money, the right clothes, travel documents, etc. We want to be sure we’re ready.

When assessing one’s own maturity and readiness for a data and AI project, IBM provides a Data and AI online readiness assessment. It’s a tool that can help provide an organization with insight to better understand their maturity and readiness, represented by scores for each step of the AI ladder (see figure #1), with recommendations for potential next steps.

Figure #1: The AI Ladder

While there may be common steps along the way, each journey is unique. One size does not fit all.

That said, from my many interactions with clients from around world, I discovered there was empathy for partnerships between organizations and AI providers. Organizations seem to be pivoting towards new business priorities around optimization and modernization — sometimes requiring extreme and accelerated innovation and automation as part of their journey to AI.

OK…. Go!!

IBM Data and AI Expert Labs Development Services can help. The vision is to provide world class consultants equipped with what I would categorize as “above the line” expert skills in key areas, as depicted in figure #2, providing value-based services, repeatable best practices, methodologies, and skilled in IBM data and AI offerings.

Figure #2: IBM Data and AI Expert Labs Services consultants’ typical range of skills.

IBM Data and AI Expert Labs Development Services (referred to hear-after as “Expert Labs”) are designed to help guide organizations along their individual journeys. Expert Labs consultants represent many cumulative years of data and AI experience and best practices to provide skills and knowledge transfer to deliver a tailored engagement to meet the unique needs of each organization. IBM Expert Labs along with IBM Garage services provide a range of services (see figure #3) using tried and tested agile methodologies and sprints. Some services are available on a no-fee basis while others are chargeable. They include (but are not limited to) analysis across the data life cycle, data pipelines, feature engineering, the design, build, testing, deployment and management of models, minimal viable product, design thinking and strategy workshops, industry knowledge — as well as install and configuration of IBM data and AI offerings.

Figure #3: IBM Data and AI Experts Labs. Example of services.

IBM business partners also bring their value-add to IBM clients in the form or unique offerings and services. Business partners include (but not limited to) Value Added Resellers and Dealer (VARs / VADs), Systems Integrators (SIs) and IBM Gold Consultants.

Summary and Next Steps.

Journeys are unique. Each organization’s journey to AI will contain unique paths and steps along the way. IBM Expert Labs, along with IBM business partners provide a range of data and AI skills and services designed to help accelerate an organization’s AI journey by handholding and nurturing each data and AI engagement — from readiness assessments and design thinking to implementation and product install and configuration. The message I want reader to take away from this blog post is “You’ll never (need to) walk alone” when it comes to your Journey to AI.

For more information on IBM Expert Labs, click this link.