From Fragmentation to Focus: How Can We Build an Org-Wide Gen AI Framework?
David S. Houser
EVP at Cybage | CRO | Supply Chain and Reverse Logistics Expert | Global Executive | Top-Line and EBITDA Operational Excellence | Direct and Indirect Operations Excellence | VAB Member
In this particular educational series, I will go beyond the usual supply chain execution content and bring in some experts on the conversation of the day…Gen AI! About a month ago, I was part of a group of industry experts and an ‘expert panel’ on all things Gen AI. With the help of #HFS #HFSresearch and sponsored by Cybage, my friend and colleague, Aneesh Nathani (Head — Gen AI Solutions, Cybage), provides excellent insights into how Cybage is working with organizations around the world to provide value as we see the ‘maturity curve’ with Gen AI all over the place. In addition, Jennifer Vessels (CEO — Next Step) provides expert insights by being a change agent and world-class speaker on this topic, looking at perspectives from a different lens. While there are differing opinions on approach and ethics (my favorite topic), and even if this will impact future job seekers, there is one point everyone seems to agree. This will be the most pervasive technological advancement……that maybe the world has ever seen! I’m happy to discuss this in great detail with anyone, but let's get into it!
It's 2024, and Gen AI has long been a game changer across industries. Yet, many organizations are struggling to translate its potential into tangible results. The culprit often lies in a lack of structure or a well-defined framework, without which all AI initiatives can become fragmented, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities. With Aneesh and Jessica’s help, I will be talking about how to set down an org-wide framework for Gen AI to allow effective use case identification, ROI measurement, and maturity.
Gen AI Initiatives amp; Their Challenge of Fragmentation
Large organizations, especially, can face a "Wild West" scenario when it comes to AI. Many Gen AI products often get built for the sake of technology rather than business needs, as highlighted in this CIO article. This disconnect can lead to solutions that fail to address real-world problems.
With every department pursuing its own use cases, disjointed experimentation and duplication of efforts can quickly become a problem. Business teams may be reinventing the wheel in a vacuum, developing solutions that already exist elsewhere in the organization. Similarly, technical teams may be exploring disparate technological approaches, leading to compatibility issues and maintenance headaches down the line.
Breaking down these silos between departments is crucial for a successful Gen AI strategy. Establishing a central "playground" – a platform equipped with pre-configured infrastructure, tools, and resources – fosters collaboration and eliminates redundancy. For example, marketing teams can test personalized ad copy, and?product development teams can explore potential design iterations.?A centralized approach, i.e., a sandbox, would eliminate redundancy and streamline processes in all areas.
Such a platform empowers teams across the organization to experiment with Gen AI. Which is precisely what Cybage has done. Talking about this forward-thinking, Aneesh Nathani said,?"We realized early on that a centralized playground that fosters collaboration and eliminates redundancy is vital when integrating Gen AI seamlessly with existing workflows. We created Smartpal as our playground for experimenting with designs, technologies, strategies, and real-world scenarios. It is our accelerator of knowledge in crafting Gen AI solutions for client projects."?
A robust system for tracking and monitoring experiments across the organization is essential. This visibility would allow leaders and decision-makers to identify potential opportunities and?redundancies. Teams would be able to share findings and learn from each other's successes and failures, removing the need for each department to build everything from scratch.
Moving Beyond the Proof-of-Concept (POC) Stage
Not all Gen AI applications are created equal. Identifying the right use cases is crucial for maximizing return on investment (ROI). Would establishing a central review board comprised of both business and technical experts help???
This board could act as a gatekeeper, evaluating proposed Gen AI projects to ensure they are addressing a real problem or opportunity and can deliver a measurable ROI. Its potential focus areas include cost savings through task automation or process optimization, revenue growth or identification of new sales opportunities, improved efficiency, and freeing up human capital for higher-value activities.?
From her work with corporate leaders, Jennifer Vessels shares, “Organizations that benefit the most from Gen AI are those in which people are empowered to use new tools and approaches for solving problems or developing new solutions. The executive team, supported by the board sets the ‘boundaries’ of what data can be used, and the general types of questions, prompts, actions for which AI can be used.? Employees are encouraged to explore Gen AI as a tool – not to do the job for them but to accelerate and enhance their success.”
Data is the lifeblood of AI, and ensuring access to high-quality, well-structured and governed data is crucial for successful model training. A project's alignment with the organization's long-term AI strategy and?its?contribution to achieving its broader financial and business goals should be clearly demonstrated through parameters such as:
Identifying a real challenge, problem or opportunity that MAY be solved through technology and building a small team to explore and use AI tools to? build a solution.
·????? Scaling Resources:??Piloting a groundbreaking Gen AI solution is exciting, but scaling it for real-world impact requires careful planning. In fact, a HBR survey revealed that only 8% of enterprises implement core practices for widespread AI adoption, running isolated pilot projects instead. The review board should ensure sufficient resources for a full rollout.
·????? Deployment Decisions:??The right level of data security will need to be prioritized without sacrificing operational agility, ensuring Gen AI solutions support our business goals effectively.
·????? Continuous Improvement:??Deployment is just the beginning. Enterprises must continuously monitor and refine Gen AI solutions, aligning them with business goals.
·????? Empowering Teams: A well-defined change management strategy, including training programs and clear communication, is crucial for user adoption.
Striking the Balance: Speed and Control in the Gen AI Maturity Curve
A central platform fuels rapid experimentation, while a review process ensures only the most promising ideas progress, maximizing the return on our Gen AI investment. Of course, this review process doesn't have to be a bottleneck. A tiered system based on complexity and impact can help.?Low-risk, low-impact projects can undergo a streamlined review process, while high-risk, high-impact projects receive more rigorous scrutiny. This will bring consistent decisions and an expedited process.?
Speed is crucial for Gen AI innovation, but without control, it's chaos.?Talking about this unique balance and the importance of the “maturity curve”, Aneesh had this to say, "We're particularly excited about the integration of Gen AI with existing software products for ISVs.?But?we always ensure our clients know they can only expect Gen AI to revolutionize their entire product experience and workflow after a while.?We must first lay the foundation and build incrementally to reach that transformative stage."
“Regardless of the chosen path, the future belongs to those who embrace AI,” Jennifer strongly advised. “A slow start and concerns about missing the mark shouldn’t stall innovation. Leaders must continue to invest in the technology and in empowering ?people to leverage the technology.”
Hopefully, these discussions sparked some curiosity among those of you reading regarding the vast potential of Gen AI applications and how we can effectively build them. However, we must remember that technology is a moving target, and so our thought processes must evolve too.? ,
In fact, Cybage’s discussions with industry leaders have revealed a wealth of insights into real-world challenges and opportunities for enterprises. One key takeaway that emerged from these conversations is the crucial need to leverage existing pockets of innovation within an organization and integrating pre-existing efforts. In my next article, we'll delve deeper into this concept of "backward governance." Another colleague of mine, Nisha Advani (AVP —?Cybage) will join us in exploring strategies to bring siloed Gen AI initiatives together, maximizing their impact and ensuring a truly unified approach.
By proactively rethinking and questioning our perception, we can ensure AI, including Gen AI, becomes a force for positive change, enhancing innovation and prosperity for all. The journey is only just gaining momentum with Gen AI. I hope we can all embrace the possibilities with a spirit of curiosity, responsibility, and a commitment to shaping the future we want to see!
#GenerativeAI #ArtificialIntelligence #GenAIFuture #DisruptiveTech #TransformativeAI #AIforBusiness #FutureProofing #VAB #AIGovernance
The Generative AI revolution is here: Ready to take the first step?
The IT industry has taught me to embrace change cautiously but promptly. I believe that by establishing well-defined frameworks organizations can utilize Gen AI to drive innovation and bring transformative growth.
I am available for a consultation to explore how your organization can tailor its Gen AI frameworks for maximum impact.
David Houser (EVP?—?Cybage | Pro-to-Know)
linkedin.com/in/david-s-houser?or @davidhouser
Also, discover what our experts think about Gen AI’s intricacies:
Jennifer Vessels (CEO —? Next Step)
Aneesh Nathani (Head —?Gen AI Solutions, Cybage)
Nisha Advani (AVP —?Business Development, Cybage)
Executive VP & Head @ Cybage Software | Digital Product Engineering, Operational Excellence
6 个月Great to see this David, it tells exactly what we are doing and how can we extend our abilities to our client partners - we are not riding the hype cycle, we are methodical for holistic and inclusive product engineering using GenAI in the engineering as well as in the Product!
At the moment...it's all about the HFS Summit in NYC on Dec 3-4
6 个月Great post David S. Houser. It was a pleasure to have you take part in the HFS roundtable in April. Joel M., Francis Carden, Nandini Tare, Aditi AK, Saurabh Gupta
Passionate about Supply Chain Management | Board member | P&L Owner | Servant Leader | Entrepreneur
6 个月Great write up David. What I see is not just a question of learning new concepts, but also a reluctance to unlearn old concepts, which I guess is exactly the hallmark of a paradigm shift. We truly live in interesting times.