In previous blog posts we have covered a process to follow to become ”AI Ready”. This process is actually quite generic for implementations of new technology, concepts or running change management projects.
To support this process and to make your organisation ”AI Ready”, you will also need to add specific AI related capabilities. These capabilities should be established and be available over time to support further AI implementation. The functions may vary in size over time, but it is important that it is clearly defined how to gain access to these capabilities when required in different parts of the organisation.
A capability to us can be knowledge, technology, methodology, experience, documentation or other resources that one needs to get an initiative going or to support an ongoing implementation.
The AI Competency Center
The first capability that we believe should exist in an organisation that wants to become ”AI Ready” is an AI Competency Center (AICC in short). The purpose of this capability/function is to gather knowledge and competence on AI in general and the things that are specific for this technology.
The AICC should be an organisational unit that holds this kind of information and resources. The AICC should further develop and maintain (could be the AI Ready Process) a methodology to be followed for AI implementations in the organisation. In short the AICC should be THE organisational unit to go to for AI initiatives in the organisation.
AI competence and knowledge
To be able to support this, the AICC function needs to establish capabilities such as knowledge and competence on AI, how does it work, which tools to use, its implications, important considerations, steps to take to implement AI, how to educate users, how to document usage, how to maintain and develop implementations and be ready to support initiatives that wants to get going.
These are many functions to cover by one functional unit and at the same one also have to be careful of costs so that this unit don’t just become a very expensive playground in the eyes of management or other units in the organisation.
This is why it is our recommendation to start building this capability using the ”Thing Big – Start Small – Act Fast” methodology. Start with a vision on how your organisation will embrace and benefit from AI, but build capabilities carefully from the start and scale fast when you have a proven track record.
You will need to invest to succeed
Since an AICC is central to the implementation of AI in your organisation and also a key capability in our AI Ready Model, we think it would be wise to make use of external resources with experience and knowledge to establish the AICC. This way you reduce risk, increase speed and don’t need to assign to many internal resources to the function before you have found the right direction.
On the other hand, the AICC will be an important capability to support further implementation of AI tech in your organisation, so over time you would want this function to be run by your own staff to decrease dependency on external resources. Let’s make this clear already from the start so that you don’t build a dependancy on consultants over a long period of time. To establish the AICC, you will need to invest in competence and knowledge. Don’t be cheap when it comes to this particular investments. AI is by now not a very new technology and has been around for a while.
This means that there are a lot of experiences and knowledge already available. As business today, and tech in particular, is a global phenomenon you should consider sending your staff to gain knowledge from where it is available, i e other countries or geographies (if not available online). Investments in knowledge to build the AICC capability might be expensive in the beginning, but well invested it will pay off in business gains and keeping up with the competition is priceless.
More information
A well functioning AICC is essential to be successful with your AI implementations and to support creating business value from AI implementation. This is why an AICC is a cornerstone capability of our ”AI Ready Model”.
