The "Igniting AI" Edition

When it comes to AI, the question isn’t if it will impact our organizations, but how we’ll harness it. The challenge many of us face isn’t just landing AI within our teams but expanding it across the organization.

So it's no wonder I get this question all the time after my keynotes and workshops - "Marco, but how do I ignite AI at scale in my company? Where do I start?"

I think of AI as our own little garden we want to grow (awwwww).

So I came up with a Four-Season Approach to AI Adoption. Each season represents a critical stage of nurturing its potential and allowing it to flourish.

(Yes, I know global warming is here and seasons don't exist anymore, but work with me please).

Spring: Plant the Seeds with Education & Tools

Spring is the season of beginnings, where the soil is prepared for growth. In AI, this means starting with education. Before AI can bloom, teams at all levels need the right knowledge and tools. They need to play with the technology. Only by doing that will we create an environment where people feel empowered to use AI and are encouraged to explore its potential.

Summer: Take Action and Spot Use-Cases

Summer is the season of action. It’s the time to spot the areas where AI can make the biggest impact—whether that’s automating manual tasks (what I call "brute force") or improving customer experiences. But we can't spread ourselves too thin. We should choose a few key areas to focus on and put strong efforts behind them. Summer is about nurturing the right use-cases and letting them thrive, building momentum for broader adoption.

Fall: Harvest by Measuring Impact

As we move into fall, it’s time to reap what we’ve sown. This is where we measure impact—tracking how AI is influencing our organization, from tech adoption to efficiency improvements and financial returns. By measuring leading and lagging indicators, we’ll know where to double down and where to pivot.

Winter: Prepare for Growth with Governance & Responsible AI

Winter represents reflection and preparation for the next cycle (and also cozy Sunday afternoons watching Netflix). With AI, this means ensuring our organization uses AI ethically and responsibly. As AI continues to evolve, establishing clear governance is key to maintaining trust and mitigating risks. Winter is when we set up the guardrails, ensuring AI grows in a way that aligns with your company’s long-term vision and regulatory frames of reference.

Bringing It All Together Some organizations have different profiles and might choose to start in any of the seasons.

That's okay—growing this garden is a cyclical journey that requires nurturing, action, and reflection, so it doesn't matter where we start.

What matters is that when we approach AI adoption with this seasonal mindset, it becomes less about the tools themselves and more about how we cultivate an AI-first culture within our organizations.

During the next editions, I will deep-dive into each of the seasons.

Until then, hope the start of Fall is treating you well.

See you next week.

Hey, I’m Marco. I write, speak, train and advise on #marketing and #ai

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