“The biggest reason I feel that so many companies in our industry have a hard time seeing the value in AI is because they look at it like applying paint,” Woodring said. “You might think that if you just do everything you’re doing today, give the same house a new coat of paint, and put AI in it, you’re going to get a big ROI. But it’s not magic.”
He said the fix is not a better tool. It is a desire to reconsider work itself.
“If you don’t actively think about, consider and really embrace new ways of working, I don’t think you’re going to get an ROI,” he said.
Key leadership buy-in
Woodring said process issues and leadership issues are related, and the second issue is a key hurdle that needs to be cleared before true AI adoption can take root in enterprises.
“The most important determinant of success in technology transformation is the level of buy-in from the business,” he said. “It’s not just about having great technology. It’s about being willing to dive into the processes needed to run a business and be willing to transform those processes with technology. That’s where you get the real value.”
