With data being labelled as the new currency, and AI being right at the edge of innovation, it is crucial for channel companies to have an appropriate strategy for capitalising on all the opportunities. But with many firms unsure of where to start, the GTIA UK & Ireland Community has launched a guidebook entitled The Future is Data-Driven: A Board-Level Blueprint for AI Success.
Dan Wensley, CEO, GTIA, described the guide as a “call to action for the GTIA community to lead with insight, integrity and impact.”
Speaking at the launch of the guidebook at ChannelCon EMEA in London, Hollie Whittles, director of Purple Frog Systems Ltd and vice chair of GTIA’s UK & Ireland Community Executive Council, said “Why do data and AI matter? They are enablers of transformation across every function of your organisation from customer engagement and supply chain optimization, to risk management and sustainability.”
“Realising the potential requires more than just investment in technology,” Whittles added. “It demands visionary leadership, cultural change and a top-down commitment to embed that data and AI strategy into your organisational DNA. But as with all good initiatives, you need to start at the beginning. What is your business trying to do? What are your business objectives and how will you measure success? What does that look like? What does good look like?”
The guidebook was designed to help business leaders navigate through every stage of their data/AI transformation journey via individual chapters:
- Defining Clear Business Objectives: Working out how to measure success.
- Current State Assessment: Urging firms to evaluate existing data infrastructure and capabilities to determine strengths and weaknesses and who controls data governance within the organisation.
- Data Architecture, Governance and Security: Describing best practices for building a modern and compliant data ecosystem.
- Data Analytics and Big Data: Highlighting an actionable framework for driving innovation and value.
- AI Technologies and Real-World Applications: Giving an overview of key AI technologies.
- Ethics and Responsible Data Use: Ensuring fairness, transparency, accountability and reliability during the journey.
- Implementation Roadmap and Skills Development: Outlining a phased approach to implementation, offering guidance on training and development, and identifying key skills sets.
- Future Trends and Innovations: Exploring developments shaping the future of data and AI, and predictions that will influence how businesses operate in the coming years.
Whittles said the key to a successful data and AI transformation strategy is to engage stakeholders and business units across the entire business, ensure board level buy-in and bring your people on the journey with you.
“You need to make your people accountable and feel empowered, she said.
It is also important to keep the transformation manageable by starting small, she advised.
“Start small, start with a pilot project to validate the value and the feasibility of what you’re about to go under. Scale and integrate by expanding those pilots into other business areas.”
But the key point is just to get started.
“Regulation is going to increase, human and AI collaboration will deepen, quantum computing is going to accelerate AI, and personalised AI systems are going to evolve. So, we really need to get a grip on this now,” Whittles said. “You need to get a handle on your data governance and your approach to adopting AI now. Be part of the conversation and be part of the future.”
