23 Jan 2024

Navigating the future: Preparing your business for AI integration

As new and developing technologies continue to disrupt traditional ways of doing business, the need to have control over your data, gain crucial visibility across your operations and remain competitive has become key to company success. Preparing your business for Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration has moved from being a strategic angle, to a necessity.   

At Coeo, we understand the intricacies of implementing effective AI technologies into your business and know how overwhelming it can be. In this blog, we cover how to set the foundations for unlocking the power of AI: from security and compliance through to skills, structures and sustainable strategies.  

Using AI effectively: Key considerations 

To give AI integration the best chance of success, you need a robust platform for it to be built on, starting with quality data and a well maintained, structured data estate to provide sufficient accuracy and reliability. Alongside this, the maturity of your data infrastructure also impacts how ready your systems are for AI, including the potential for scalability and flexibility.  

Investing in a cutting-edge, adaptable data framework not only sets you on the right path for AI success but also helps you to predict your own future in the face of evolving technologies.  

Ensuring security and compliance 

While it’s exciting to jump in and start making use of all the information your AI technologies are providing you, your security and compliance processes will help protect you from breaches and cyber-attacks targeted at rushed implementation. As you invest the time and resource into building your ‘data house’, don’t forget to lock your front door, or the side gate for that matter.  

The “who” of managing AI technology 

While these technologies give us incredible access to data and processing power like we’ve never experienced before, the human remains irreplaceable.  

Identify the key roles within your organisation, such as data scientists, AI engineers, and cybersecurity experts, that will take care of all aspects of your AI deployment. Part of this process is upskilling existing employees for these roles to foster a culture of continuous learning and development. A skilled and adaptive team helps to ensure implementation success and will also allow you to make the most of AI’s full potential, encouraging innovation and sustainable growth. 

Choosing the right AI solutions 

With the explosion of new AI technologies and a seemingly endless list of options, it can be overwhelming to choose the right solution for your needs. The AI landscape continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, from machine learning to natural language processing.  

But in the same way that a Formula 1 driver requires different data to a parent dropping their child at school, just because a certain tool is great in one industry, doesn’t mean it’s fit for purpose for your business. Be certain about the problems you’re trying to solve, consider how the solution interacts with your existing data and evaluate the impact past the initial deployment phase. Test runs and pilots will be your insurance against risks and will help validate your choice before you commit to full-scale deployments.  

Developing a comprehensive AI strategy 

There are a lot of moving parts to consider while developing your AI strategy, but the best place to start is by aligning your initiatives with overarching business goals. Rather than reactively jumping onto the first solutions you see, keeping your core targets in mind will help you to efficiently experiment to find the right tools for you and inspire confidence in your stakeholders. After all, having the latest of everything might look impressive, but your success will still be measured in the impact to your bottom line and future growth.  

Market insights: Preparing for the future 

If you want to make the most of market insights and gain a holistic view of your business landscape, you need to understand the full AI product lifecycle. For your technology implementation to be successful into the long term, you need reliable cybersecurity practices and legacy frameworks to support your solution through its stages of life.  

How Coeo can help you 

As this new world of fast-moving AI technology development and disruption continues to unfold, Coeo is your expert partner for Microsoft AI, defining your bespoke roadmap and identifying the best solutions for your sustained growth and innovation. We will help you gain the confidence and buy-in for your investment and be by your side to ensure your business is agile and adaptable, ready to respond and maintain your competitive edge.  

Talk to us today about how we can work together to put your company ahead of the curve.