Introducing The AI Maturity Framework
Guest Blog by Karthik Ramakrishnan, 20-year veteran of the Canadian tech ecosystem & AI Strategy and Enablement Expert
Six months ago, I announced work had begun on a new AI Maturity Framework for the enterprise. It’s ready now as a free, downloadable whitepaper covering the entire AI maturity journey, from Exploring to Transforming.
If you are evaluating, designing, or championing your organization’s strategy for using artificial intelligence, this document is for you. It is designed to help senior decision-makers as well as implementation teams, whether you plan to purchase an off-the-shelf AI solution, build one yourself or take a hybrid approach.
This document was written because artificial intelligence is animating the world that electricity illuminated and that the Internet connected. But, not unlike electricity in 1910 or the Internet in 1990, AI in 2020 still hasn’t made a real impact yet for most businesses. As with any new revolutionary technology, it is taking time for industry leaders to figure out how to leverage it in a tangible and embedded manner.
From our vantage point, we see that while many challenges remain, the tipping point is not far away — and it is closer in some industries than in others. Organizations are discovering that AI is difficult for reasons that go beyond the scientific and technical.
Fundamentally, organizations need to become digital at their core. This is what unlocks the organization’s potential to operate without the constraints of traditional enterprises, to compete in new ways, capture the unprecedented value and alter the very industries in which it operates. What we are really seeing with AI is a redefinition of what an organization can be — how it operates, strategizes and competes.
What is AI? The goal of the field hasn’t fundamentally changed since its inception in the 1950s: to create machines that exhibit human-like intelligence. In seventy-odd years, methods for achieving this goal have proliferated. The field is now a dynamic hybrid of hard science and practical engineering, with dedicated research programs for applications such as machine vision and natural language processing; techniques such as neural networks and reinforcement learning; and social implications such as Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT).
Now, AI systems perform at or above human-level for many specialized tasks. This includes tasks that were never before possible or practical to address with written rules or traditional software, such as intelligently recognizing and categorizing millions of images. There are even more creative applications of AI, such as generating new images, text and other data. And fundamental AI research activity is still on the rise.
Yet AI has been difficult for organizations to adopt because organizations have to change how they think, act and learn in order to take advantage of what it offers. And it takes time for organizations to mature their AI capabilities and the aspects that support AI.
Yet AI has been difficult for organizations to adopt because organizations have to change how they think, act and learn in order to take advantage of what it offers.
What is AI maturity? It’s a measure of an organization’s ability to achieve and scale impact from AI systems. Our recent industry survey confirms that in January 2020, fewer than 1 in 10 organizations are mature enough to put AI into production. But about 1 in 7 are actively clarifying their strategy for AI, developing their data and technology infrastructure, aligning their teams, and setting governance practices to scale responsibly.
Fewer than 1 in 10 organizations are mature enough to put AI into production. But about 1 in 7 are actively clarifying their strategy for AI.
In the early stages, AI maturity typically focuses on improving operations so organizations can achieve their existing strategic goals. For example, optical character recognition (OCR) and natural language processing can streamline document processing so a business can expand its market reach.
In later stages, AI becomes more central to the strategy of the organization itself. Think of the operating models of the FAANG companies or upstart firms like Uber and Grab. AI has broken down silos in these organizations (or silos didn’t exist from the start) so human-machine collaboration is free to drive the entire business. At the highest stages of maturity, AI is central to how organizations deliver as well as conceive of new business models, products and services. Cue the emergence of a different kind of a firm with AI as its operating system.
The key to AI maturity, from exploring AI to transforming with it, is envisioning what that end-state could look like for you and envisioning a clear path to that vision from your current state. Most business leaders are behind in being able to grasp either the current or future states clearly. This is the primary driver for why we wrote this document.
Most business leaders are behind in being able to grasp either the current or future states clearly. This is the primary driver for why we wrote this document.
This document shares what we’ve learned from our research and experience as AI practitioners to help you join the vanguard of organizations now using AI — or to get ahead of the pack. The central topic is our detailed framework for assessing AI maturity and focusing on the right actions to levelup. We also include results from our recent survey of senior decision-makers in multiple industries and cases from our advisory practice.
I am inspired by the promise of artificial intelligence. I’m also privileged to go on this transformational journey with our clients, to help them realize the promise of AI to create the future of financial services, supply chains, customer experiences, our cities, and our environment. When we lead our organizations to work smarter with AI, we move the world forward. From illuminated, to connected, to animated — to all that comes next.
Have questions about the AI Maturity Framework? Click here to speak to one of our experts.
Karthik Ramakrishnan is a 20-year veteran of the Canadian tech ecosystem with a mission to help global organizations achieve their unique vision for artificial intelligence. I believe it’s possible and vital for every business to define a compelling strategy for AI: a roadmap for creating value in the short term while building capabilities to win in the long term.
TribalScale is a global innovation firm that helps enterprises adapt and thrive in the digital era. We transform teams and processes, build best-in-class digital products, and create disruptive startups. Learn more about us on our website. Connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook!
