Building an AI Strategy from the ground up
Adopting AI is no longer a question of ‘if’, but ‘how’. Many organizations struggle to turn their AI ambitions into real value. A new whitepaper from Gen25 lays out how businesses can identify high-impact uses and scale successful pilot programs to achieve measurable results.
The conversation around enterprise AI has shifted significantly. Companies now recognize the AI imperative and are learning how to adopt innovative tools most effectively. While technology providers flood the market with promises of transformation, decision-makers face the more practical challenge of creating real value with AI while avoiding costly mistakes.
The whitepaper from Gen25, which has worked with organizations undergoing substantial transformation, distills extensive experience into a structured enterprise AI strategy. The roadmap breaks down the AI journey into distinct phases, each characterized by clear decision points and specific business outcomes. This approach helps organizations move confidently from initial exploration to full-scale execution.
Starting with business needs
Any good AI strategy has to look first at what an organization really needs. The point is to implement AI to solve specific problems, and not to apply it aimlessly with only a vague idea of what value it can add.
The Gen25 roadmap begins with engaging stakeholders across various departments to uncover recurring challenges, inefficiencies, and potential high-impact uses. Next come structured discovery sessions that help pinpoint where AI can deliver the most value, whether through automating manual processes, enhancing access to insights, or supporting data-driven decision-making.
Instead of going for overly broad aims, it is best for teams to focus on the most promising initiatives. They should prioritize based on the potential business impact and feasibility. This leads to stronger early momentum and a clearer focus in subsequent phases.
Types of AI tools
There are a huge variety of tools in the rapidly evolving AI market, but not all solutions are equally suitable for enterprise adoption. Through extensive client engagements, Gen25 has identified four categories of AI tools that consistently provide practical value.
These include Agentic AI, which supports knowledge workers and automates routine tasks using large language model-powered assistants. There are also Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems that combine internal data with generative models to provide accurate, context-rich responses.
Embedded AI integrates within platforms like Salesforce or Microsoft, enhancing existing tools without significant disruption. Lastly, purpose-built tools are designed to resolve specific business challenges, ranging from document parsing to summarizing customer feedback.
Choosing a provider
When choosing an implementation partner, organizations will have a wide range of options to choose from. They will need to evaluate each potential solution based on practical criteria, including integration compatibility, security standards, support structure, and long-term viability.
Some organizations will choose to develop an AI tool in-house, but that requires a large amount of investment, both in terms of capital and talent. With so many tools available on the market, choosing an AI tool from an external partner is the obvious choice.
Building strong business cases
Having a strong business case is a major part of the eventual success of any AI implementation. A good business case needs to be not only technically sound, but also need to be aligned financially and strategically.
Business cases should outline expected returns in terms of efficiency, cost savings, or revenue growth, all supported by realistic assumptions and input from stakeholders. Making a strong case also helps ensure that internal teams buy into the project and the needed resources will be allocated.
Transition from strategy to action
Pilot programs are the first step in the transition from strategy to action. That typically starts with a proof-of-concept. These first steps allow teams to test solutions in realistic environments, validate assumptions, and generate momentum.
“When pilots succeed, we work with clients to plan and execute enterprise-wide rollouts,” said James Cronyn, Director of Business Consulting at Gen25.
“These larger implementations are guided by change management strategies, operational alignment, and KPIs for ongoing performance monitoring. The objective is not simply to deploy AI at scale, but to ensure it delivers sustainable, measurable results.”
This roadmap shows that the way forward for companies adopting AI tools includes defining business cases, pinpointing the right type of tool, finding the right provider, and creating a solid business case.
“For over 15 years, Gen25 has supported organizations in navigating complex transformations, especially in regulated and rapidly changing industries. Our AI methodology reflects this experience. It is structured, business-focused, and tailored to the unique context of each client,” said Cronyn.
