Peek behind the curtain of ‘AI first’ claims to uncover the reality and the bold moves needed to truly lead in the AI revolution. Is your company walking the talk?
Imagine a boardroom.
The air is thick with anticipation (and expensive cologne).
A CEO stands up, clears their throat, and announces, “We’re going AI first!” The room erupts in applause.
Nobody knows what it means, but it sounds revolutionary.
Meanwhile, the intern Googles “What is AI first?”
“AI first” has become the corporate world’s new mantra.
From consulting firms boasting AI-driven strategies to tech giants rolling out AI-enhanced gadgets and corporate organizations pledging AI-centric operations, it’s a race to the AI finish line. But scratch the surface, and it’s often just old wine in new bottles.
- Consulting Firms: They’re repackaging decade-old data analytics services as groundbreaking AI consultancy. The same data, the same analyses, but now with an AI label slapped on the proposal.
- Tech Giants: Introducing the latest smartphone with an “AI camera.” It’s the same camera, but now it can recognize a cat from a dog, thanks to an AI algorithm from the early 2000s.
- Corporate Organizations: Suddenly, every internal tool is AI-powered. The same spreadsheet that forecasts sales is now an “AI-driven predictive model” — never mind that it’s just a linear regression from your high school stats class.
In the rush to be seen as innovators, the essence of true AI transformation is often lost in translation — or rather in marketing.
The AI First Facade
Every year, it’s a new obsession. Yesterday, it was RPA, Blockchain, Metaverse. Today, it’s AI. Tomorrow, who knows? The buzzwords keep changing, but the game remains the same. With their eyes on the stock ticker, organizations eagerly latch onto the latest trend, promising revolutionary changes to anyone who will listen. The bigger the buzzword, the wider the smiles, and the more confident the press releases.
Behind the confident smiles and laden press releases lies a clueless approach. Let’s stroll down memory lane: Remember when RPA was the solution to automate everything? Or when blockchain was more than just a way to buy pizza with digital coins? And let’s not forget the Metaverse, where the only thing more virtual than the world was the plan to monetize it. Now, with AI, the pattern repeats. The financially obsessed organizations, ever eager to jump on the bandwagon, end up sacrificing vision for trendiness.
They tout AI-first strategies with the same obsession they once reserved for past fads, yet when you peel back the layers, what’s left?
A few rebranded ML use cases from a decade ago and minimal viable pilots barely scratch the surface of AI’s potential.
The Artificial Intelligence offering is old wine in a new bottle, served with a side order of déjà vu.
The Mirror of AI: A Self-Reflection
Before plastering “AI-first” on every webpage and PowerPoint, organizations need a moment of introspection. It’s time to stand in front of the mirror of AI and ask, “Do we even know what AI-first means?” It’s not just about slapping AIon existing processes or sprinkling machine learning over old products. It’s about rethinking from the ground up, questioning every assumption, and being ready to innovate and fail. It’s about understanding that AI isn’t just a tool in the toolbox — it’s a new way of building the box itself.
Rebuilding Identity
This is where the real work begins. Rebuilding identity means reimagining what your organization does and how it does it, with AI as a value core driver.
It’s about moving beyond buzzwords and hype to develop a deep understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations. It’s about cultivating continuous learning and adaptation, where AI is integrated into the organization’s DNA before making it an offering. This isn’t about following the trend — it’s about setting the pace and creating a future where your organization doesn’t just use AI but embodies the principles of innovation, efficiency, and adaptability that AI represents.
Ask Yourself Three Questions
The Fate of Giants in an AI-first world
Do behemoth service companies with 100k+ employees stand a chance? Or will they become the dinosaurs of the digital age, too bulky to adapt, too entrenched to innovate?
The sustainability of their current models — built on billable hours, human capital, and linear growth — faces a stark reality check. AI doesn’t just optimize processes; it redefines possibilities. The future may belong to those who can pivot from service providers to innovation hubs, leveraging AI to create new value propositions.
Bold Move: For those daring enough, here’s a challenge:
Reduce your workforce by 25% by year-end through AI integration, or increase your revenue by 50% with the same workforce. It’s a bold target, but boldness is the first step towards credibility in the AI-first era.
The Commodity of Maintenance
Remember when maintenance contracts were the golden geese laying eggs of perpetual revenue?
In an AI-driven landscape, the idea that maintenance is a high-value, separately billed service might become as outdated as fax machines. With AI’s predictive capabilities and self-healing systems, maintenance could become a built-in feature, a basic expectation, not a premium service. Imagine the boardroom’s reaction when they realize the cash cow of maintenance fees has dried up. It’s time to rethink value in a world where AI does the heavy lifting, and maintenance is just part of the package.
Bold Move: Here is a challenge for the brave:
Give your maintenance away for free,included in the license cost.It’s a statement that your AI is so ahead of its time that it heals your products and that maintenance becomes an afterthought, not an additional revenue stream.
The IP Shuffle
Now that AI democratizes innovation, turning sophisticated algorithms intocommoditiesavailable to all, what happens to Intellectual Property’s exclusivity?
IP has always been the crown jewel, the source of those two-digit profit margins.
In an AI-dominated landscape, the value might shift from owning the algorithm to applying it creatively. The future could move away from guarding IP behind lock and key toward a model where sharing and collaboration drive value, and profit margins are built on unique applications and experiences rather than the code itself.
Bold move: Daring enough? Try this:
Put a stake in the ground by giving your IP out. Show the world that you own the logic, not the data. It’s a testament to confidence in your ability to innovate and lead, not just follow.
What’s Ending, What’s Enabling, What’s Coming
The integration of AI will redefine the essence of how consulting firms, tech giants, and corporations operate. It’s not just about adopting new technologies. It is about embracing a new mindset. Organizations will thrive if they view AI not as a tool but as a transformative force. This perspective demands a reevaluation of traditional practices and models. The future belongs to those who can anticipate change, adapt swiftly, and internally innovate.
Consulting Firms, Tech Giants, and Corporations have a long way ahead. Let’s look at what AI is ending, what is enabling, and what their future looks like.
What’s Ending:
- Consulting Firms: The era of offering generic, one-size-fits-all strategies is over. AI demands hyper-customization and agility that traditional consulting models struggle to provide.
- Tech Giants: The monopoly on innovation is breaking. AI levels the playing field, allowing startups to challenge established giants with disruptive technologies.
- Corporations: Rigid hierarchical structures and slow decision-making processes are becoming liabilities. AI necessitates a more dynamic, responsive organizational model.
What’s Enabling:
- Consulting Firms: AI enables a shift towards more outcome-based engagements. Firms can now offer real-time insights and solutions, transforming from advisors to partners in innovation.
- Tech Giants: AI opens new frontiers in product development and customer experience. Giants can leverage their vast data and resources to pioneer AI applications that were previously unimaginable.
- Corporations: AI fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. Corporations can free employees time to focus on strategic initiatives and get close to clients.
What’s Coming:
- Consulting Firms: The future will see consulting firms becoming orchestrators of AI ecosystems, connecting clients with cutting-edge solutions and startups. They’ll move from strategy design to implementation, ensuring AI initiatives deliver tangible value.
- Tech Giants: Tech giants will likely become the backbone of the AI infrastructure, providing the platforms and tools that power the AI applications of tomorrow. However, they’ll also face increased scrutiny and calls for decentralization, pushing them towards more open, collaborative models.
- Corporations: They will transform into agile, data-driven organizations. The future corporate landscape will be characterized by fluid team structures, project-based work, and a focus on innovation. AI will also enable new business models, revenue streams, and ways of engaging with customers.
Conclusion
It’s time for a reality check.
The “AI first” mantra demands more than lip service; it requires bold, proactive steps that embody innovation and transformation. Gaining credits in the AI space will require bold moves:
- Reducing Workforce by 25% Through AI Integration or increase by 50% in revenue with the same workforce in one year. It’s not about job cuts; it’s about reallocating human creativity to where it truly matters. This is the real test of an AI-first strategy.
- Maintenance as a Free Inclusion in License Costs: Show confidence in your AI solutions by including maintenance for free. It’s a statement that your technology can heal itself with AI.
- Give Your IP Out: Holding your IP close to your chest is an outdated model. Be bold, share your IP, and show that you’re a leader in the AI revolution, not just a participant. It’s about owning the logic, not the data.
If you’re ready to make any of these bold moves, you’re not just adopting an AI-first strategy.
You are setting the pace for what it truly means to be AI-first.
And for those still hesitating, remember: in the AI-first race, the bold don’t just lead; they redefine the game.
So, let’s not just talk about being AI-first — let’s live it, breathe it, and lead it.
