AI Readiness — Preparing for the 'New Normal'

Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models are nothing new to IT, infosec and cybersecurity professionals. But with the hype around Generative AI and new tools surfacing, organizations are having to decide how the business can and will be impacted by emerging technologies and trends. While many organizations are in the early stages of adopting AI platforms and implementing associated strategies into their day-to-day operations, some have already replaced legacy systems using LLMs and AI capabilities. 

CIOs and CISOs in the Calgary Community came together recently to discuss where they’re at in their AI journey, impacts this technology can have on their organization and challenges regarding AI implementation. Eric Ranta, director, Customer Value & Transformation Advisors at Google Cloud, moderated the session. Evanta Calgary Community members Steve Reece, CIO, Director of IT & IS at Vermilion Energy, Inc., Penny Rae, CIO at Alberta Health Services, Peter Collins, Director, Information Technology at MEG Energy Corp., and Olivera Zatezalo, GM, Cyber Security & Privacy at Suncor Energy, led the discussion groups. 

Ranta kicked off the discussion by acknowledging how organizations are at different levels when it comes to AI readiness. Google Cloud conducted a survey among customers that showed a wide disparity in terms of AI deployment and how people are leveraging it. 

New AI tools are constantly popping up on the market, and organizations have a lot of information to consider. There is a small sliver of professionals who are advanced in their approaches to AI while others are much slower to adopt.

"If we’re going to be able to leverage this capability, how quickly can we do it?" said Ranta, who encouraged executives to “take a deep breath” and think about how to execute on opportunities as they come.

Survey results showed that most companies are spending half their efforts on cleaning up their data, while 70% of respondents are increasing or significantly increasing AI staff to gain more skills in-house, whether that’s developing existing talent or recruiting talent. 

According to survey respondents, 60-80% of AI models created thus far don’t make it to production. So, what are the key factors preventing that? Data, AI governance and executive education were large limitations, while LLM operations appeared to be less mature. 

Overall, the potential value of AI is the most desirable component of these new tools. Increased operational efficiency is the largest driver of AI adoption, and improved customer experience and accelerated innovation are also top of mind.

AI isn’t disrupting the industry, Ranta noted, "it’s actually making the things you were already doing better."

CIOs and CISOs then joined small breakout groups to discuss their AI journeys and share strategies on improving their growth and efficiencies in this area. 
 

Key Takeaways from the Discussion
 

1. The entire organization can benefit from the integration of AI capabilities.

Organizations are on different ends of the spectrum when it comes to AI implementation, especially generative AI. Some are in the early stages of adoption, while other businesses are more advanced with the implementation of AI capabilities. But one aspect remains true across industries: the benefits and opportunities AI presents to aid operational efficiency is appealing.

The benefits extend throughout various departments, including but not limited to human resources, finance and security operations. Departments are implementing AI strategies to improve customer experiences, employee productivity, innovation and strategic decision making.
 

1. A strong governance program is important for successful AI implementation.

Creating a strong strategy around AI governance has been a foundational goal for organizations, and one they need to prioritize and solidify before carrying out business use cases. Executives expressed several limitations when considering moving forward with AI, and a top challenge was the creation of a strong governance model. Knowing roles and responsibilities among employees is top of mind, as well as ensuring the organization is secure and compliant. 

The implementation of AI tools will directly affect labor. Organizations are grappling with how to upskill and educate current employees around AI capabilities to ensure they have the correct skill sets and knowledge.
 

1. Organizational education and ensuring data is AI ready are paramount to propelling AI strategies forward.

In order to obtain leadership buy-in after determining business use cases, executives will need to know how to measure the value of AI and communicate ROI. Educating staff and ensuring the organization has the capabilities to carry out use cases is also key. 

Another aspect of education is data quality and privacy. Ensuring data is AI ready is a challenging journey for many organizations. Businesses are focusing on cleaning up their data and making sure employees are inputting correct data sets into AI tools. This is why having a solid governance program in place and educating employees is a top priority.

For more conversations with your technology and security peers on AI, data governance and other top priorities for CIOs and CISOs, apply to join your local Evanta Community. Or, if you are already a member of an Evanta CIO or CISO community, sign in to MyEvanta to find and register for your upcoming community programs.