SparkOptimus guide sets out how to realize Generative AI’s true potential
Generative AI is one of today’s most hyped technologies, yet realising its benefits is easier said than done. A new guide from SparkOptimus sets out a proven approach to help leaders adopt GenAI in order to unlock productivity gains and fundamentally reshape their proposition in preparation for the disruption ahead.
The past two years have been nothing short of a revolution in Gen AI and Agentic AI, both of which offer enormous potential for companies seeking to improve efficiency and create new value.
When ChatGPT was launched in early 2023, text-based generation was still relatively limited, and AI imagery was an interesting novelty but largely impractical. Fast-forward to 2025, and it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish Gen AI-generated images from high-quality studio photography.
The use cases for Gen AI have meanwhile expanded rapidly into a much wider range of areas, from automating repetitive processes and enhancing decision-making, to accelerating innovation and transforming the way organisations serve their customers.
Developments within the Gen AI landscape are emerging as quickly as the hype is building, and business leaders are actively exploring how to adopt the right solutions. Yet despite many companies already running pilot programmes to test Gen AI tools, SparkOptimus research has found that only 12% have managed to scale their Gen AI initiatives.
The Gen AI Handbook
The firm’s new e-book, titled ‘Gen AI Handbook – Guidelines for Boards’, explores where the technology stands today and where it is heading, offering leaders the insights and guidance required to steer Gen AI-driven change within their organizations.
Its central argument is that while GenAI-driven cost savings are necessary, they will ultimately be insufficient to protect organizations from the broader disruption ahead. That disruption is already under way: customers are increasingly turning to chatbots instead of traditional search engines, and this is only the beginning. Smart devices are set to fundamentally reshape how customers interact with organisations.
Against this backdrop, GenAI presents new opportunities for organisations to meet customer needs more effectively, more quickly, and at lower cost. “The organisations that succeed in embracing this technology to create the strongest customer proposition will be the winners of the AI era,” said Matti van Engelen, Associate Partner and AI Lead at SparkOptimus.
A round-up of key lessons
The book walks leaders through several key lessons. To start with, Gen AI should be embedded within an organisation’s overall strategy, acting as an enabler of long-term ambitions rather than a standalone goal, while challenging leaders to rethink what is strategically possible.
With this foundation in place, organisations should prioritise use cases based on impact and feasibility, focusing first on quick wins that deliver short-term ROI and build confidence using pre-trained models and existing talent. The productivity gains generated should then be deliberately reinvested – typically 10% to 30% – into improving customer experience and driving more fundamental strategic change.
At the same time, leaders must begin redesigning propositions and business models, guided by deep customer insight and supported by agile, flexible roadmaps.
“Success with Gen AI ultimately requires on business-led, customer-facing teams that reshape the proposition, with a clear plan to scale proven pilots, supported by funding, incentives, change management, and continuous improvement,” said Van Engelen.
He added that, all too often, the key foundations for GenAI have not been properly put in place. “This leads to situations where, despite massive investments, organisations capture only a fraction of the potential value. The promise of Gen AI is real – but the true challenge lies in steering organisations through structural disruption.”
