Jodie Korber

Businesses are moving beyond simply asking what AI is capable of and starting to focus on a far more practical question: how do we make technology genuinely useful inside the business?

The conversation has shifted from experimentation to enablement. Businesses want technology that improves productivity, streamlines operations, strengthens compliance and creates better customer experiences. Increasingly, that means understanding how AI, automation and data work together to drive measurable outcomes rather than isolated innovation projects.

What is becoming clear is that successful adoption is not about chasing every new tool that enters the market. It is about creating the operational foundations that allow organisations to test ideas quickly, implement change effectively and scale what works.

Most organisations are still early in their AI journey, but maturity is building quickly.

For many customers, the starting point has been personal productivity – using AI to reduce administrative effort, improve efficiency and support day-to-day work. From there, businesses are progressively expanding into process optimisation and customer experience enhancement as confidence grows.

What organisations are recognising very quickly, however, is that AI is only as effective as the data behind it.

That realisation is driving a much stronger focus on data management, integration and governance. Businesses want to ensure their information is accurate, accessible and structured in a way that enables meaningful AI-driven insights and automation opportunities.

Without trusted data environments, AI creates inconsistency rather than value. As a result, many organisations are now investing as heavily in data readiness as they are in AI capability itself.

Data is becoming the foundation for innovation

Data management has become one of the most important priorities underpinning digital transformation.

Customers are focusing on improving data quality, integrating disconnected systems and ensuring information can flow effectively across the organisation. The objective is not simply better reporting. It is creating environments where technology can support faster decisions, smarter automation and more informed business operations.

The organisations generating the most value from AI are typically those that have already established strong governance foundations around their data. Clean, accessible and well-structured information enables better automation, stronger analytics and more reliable AI outcomes.

Increasingly, businesses are recognising that data strategy is no longer an IT exercise operating in the background. It is becoming central to productivity, innovation and customer experience.

Compliance is driving smarter technology use

Another major priority for customers is using technology more effectively to support compliance and governance requirements.

Importantly, organisations are recognising that compliance is not solved simply by purchasing new tools. The real challenge is building the internal processes, governance structures and operational discipline required to act on the insights those tools generate.

That is driving greater focus on data security, governance frameworks and reporting capability. Businesses want better visibility into operational risk while also ensuring they can meet evolving regulatory obligations confidently and consistently.

Technology is increasingly being viewed as an enabler for stronger governance rather than just operational efficiency. The organisations navigating compliance most effectively are the ones integrating governance into everyday business processes rather than treating it as a standalone requirement.

Innovation requires faster experimentation

Internally, our own priorities are centred around helping customers innovate in more practical and commercially meaningful ways.

One of the biggest shifts happening right now is the speed at which organisations need to test and validate ideas. Technology is evolving too quickly for businesses to spend years planning large transformation programs before taking action.

That is why we are focused heavily on helping customers refine ideas early, prototype quickly and identify what genuinely creates value before committing to large-scale investment.

The goal is not innovation for the sake of innovation. It is helping businesses solve real problems in ways that are measurable, scalable and sustainable.

Turning ideas into action

A critical part of that process is ensuring strong ideas do not get stuck in experimentation mode.

Many organisations are capable of generating innovation concepts, but fewer are able to operationalise them effectively. That is why we place significant emphasis on moving proven ideas smoothly into real-world implementation with clear business outcomes attached.

The challenge is often not identifying opportunity – it is executing effectively once opportunity becomes visible.

We are also focused on creating more repeatable delivery models so customers can move faster without unnecessary complexity. Businesses want practical solutions they can implement confidently without rebuilding processes from scratch every time new technology emerges.

AI and automation remain central to many customer transformation agendas, but organisations still need guidance around where these technologies create the most value.

Part of our role is helping businesses understand how AI can improve productivity, streamline operational workflows and enhance customer experiences in ways that feel manageable and commercially sensible.

That means cutting through hype and focusing on practical application. Not every process requires AI, and not every automation project needs to become a large transformation initiative. Often the greatest value comes from solving smaller operational problems consistently and effectively.

The organisations that succeed over the next few years will likely be those capable of adopting new technologies pragmatically while remaining focused on long-term business outcomes.

Leadership starts with better questions

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned as an executive leader is that you do not need to have all the answers – you simply need to ask the right questions.

That mindset shapes how I approach leadership, problem-solving and customer engagement.

Strong leadership is rarely about certainty. It is about curiosity, listening carefully, challenging assumptions and creating space for teams and customers to explore different ways of thinking. The best outcomes often emerge when people feel empowered to question established processes and test new ideas without fear of failure.

In a market evolving this quickly, adaptability matters more than pretending to have every answer upfront. Technology will continue changing. Customer expectations will continue evolving. The organisations that thrive will be the ones willing to stay curious, keep learning and continuously rethink how they create value.