The next generation of Artificial Intelligence (aka GenAI) has arrived with a bang, ready to revolutionise businesses and entire industries in the coming years. While some companies adopted AI long ago, it’s no secret that recent advances in AI, particularly the Large Language Models and a range of productivity tools, have sparked the attention of c-suite executives worldwide, offering unprecedented potential to enhance productivity, efficiency, and customer experiences.
Suddenly, the possibilities seem endless; companies are exploring new ways to create customised marketing campaigns, automate customer service interactions, and develop innovative products and lifesaving services – all thanks to AI.
What’s more, major cloud computing providers/hyperscalers – think Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Salesforce – are actively embedding sophisticated AI capabilities into their platforms and products. This makes AI’s power seamlessly available to consumers and businesses as an integrated feature, and not as a complex add-on.
Looking ahead, businesses that figure out how to strategically roll out AI tools are going to have a clear leg up on the competition. So, the real question is – how do you and your company achieve this?
Planning is critical
As with any new technology, successfully implementing AI requires careful planning and I think that starts with companies taking a realistic look at where AI could offer them improvements. Ultimately, there is no point jumping on the AI bandwagon if you don’t have a strategy and plan.
Once you know where AI can benefit your organisation, you then need to proactively consider the potential risks of implementation. For example, AI can pick up biases if the data it learns from isn’t diverse enough. And if companies aren’t transparent about how their Ais think, they could unintentionally bake unfairness or harm into their systems. To avoid these pitfalls, businesses need safeguards like thorough testing, auditing, and explain-ability measures to keep their AI ethical.
Productivity first, but AI can do so much more
One of AI’s clearest advantages is dramatically improved productivity – the “low-hanging fruit” that provides the ROI many boards want before adopting new tech.
With thoughtful integration, AI can optimise processes boosting productivity and eliminating wasted time without wholesale automation of human roles, but with the right application, AI can do so much more.
In healthcare, for example, AI tools are already assisting doctors by accurately identifying cancerous tumours before the human eye can spot them. AI-driven algorithms developed by Persistent, have played an instrumental role in assisting an AI-enabled early lung cancer detection solution, LungAI™. The technology reduced analysis time by almost 70%. With faster diagnosis, hospitals can fast-track patients to treatment and ultimately save lives.
The road ahead
To realise AI’s full potential, you have to harness it responsibly. I believe the key is balancing productivity gains with ethical principles. AI should not replace human oversight where judgment and accountability are essential, but within appropriate limits, AI-driven productivity boosts create value across sectors.
And with regulations still developing, companies should also self-impose ethical guardrails, like limiting data access and requiring human oversight for high-risk applications.
Predictions that AI will displace human jobs en masse seem exaggerated. The reality is more nuanced – thoughtfully integrated, AI can augment human skills rather than fully automating entire roles. The result may not be full automation, but AI profoundly enhancing how people work, taking over repetitive tasks while empowering them to focus on reasoning and judgment.
There’s no doubt in my mind that AI presents huge opportunities to transform operations, but a clear roadmap for gradual adoption will be essential for most organisations. In some cases, expert partners can provide invaluable guidance to identify optimal, tailored solutions.
What steps will you take on the journey toward responsible and strategic AI adoption?
By Rajasekar Sukumar, Senior Vice President & Head of Europe at Persistent Systems
Author bio:
Rajasekar Sukumar (Raj) is Senior Vice President & Head, Europe at Persistent Systems, an industry leader and trusted partner for Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernisation. Raj has several years of experience as a Consulting Partner and Advisor for businesses spanning the Finance, Banking, Insurance, Travel, Gaming, Healthcare and ISV industries. Raj is trusted by his clients, who include established brands and emerging names, to deliver world-class digital services and help navigate shifts in business technology.
