Since the release of ChatGPT in 2022, GenAI has quickly carved out a space in our daily lexicon and workforce.
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 released by the World Economic Forum found that 86% of leaders expect AI to transform their business by 2030[1]. The report gathered data from over 1,000 employers around the globe, who collectively represent 14 million employees across industries.
The key question for leaders is not whether you will adopt AI; but how can you successfully integrate it into your business?
For this article, we spoke with Promentor’s AI Business & IT Transformation Lead, Dr. Mark Sinclair FGIA CEM, to discuss the rapid evolution of AI and how leaders can create business value from the technology.
The risks of watching and waiting
It’s worth noting that AI is far from the first technology to significantly shift our lives. It could even be seen as the 4th generation of advancement – preceded by computers, the internet, smartphones and streaming since the 1990s.
“[AI] presents terrific opportunity for our clients to transform their businesses, but it is a major threat to organisations that just watch and wait.”
Many of us know what comes from watching and waiting. We could list countless examples of companies that failed to keep up – such as Blockbuster and Borders who fell to forward-thinking brands like Netflix and Amazon.
“The current hype around AI underscores the importance of adapting to technological advancements and changing consumer behaviour.”
Getting started with AI
While you might still be wrapping your head around what comes next, others have already embraced the future.
Startups and innovators have been experimenting with AI since at least 2012; placing many businesses a decade or more behind their most innovative competitors.
“There are a number of startups and movements behind the scenes; you just have to look and you’d be surprised by how many VC firms and incubators are around.”
So, where do you begin? Most businesses choose one of 2 key strategies for AI integration: top-down or bottom-up.
Top-down integration
Top-down is about supporting leadership with strategic transformation. At Promentor, we seek to understand the goals, objectives, culture and legacy systems in your business; before devising AI-enabled processes to achieve your ideal future-state.
“There is huge cost benefit in using a consulting firm with a successful track record, following a strategic methodology and awareness of the current technology.”
Bottom-up integration
The bottom-up approach is about engaging your people. By providing employees with the tools and training to improve their own workflow, you can identify process improvements that may be rolled out across an entire organisation.
“That [grassroots] innovation helps you identify what the key processes to focus on and change are.”
Finally, it’s worth investing in education across all levels of your organisation – from board members to leadership and teams on the ground. It’s an integral strategy for minimising the ethical and regulatory risks that new technology presents.
“It’s about educating current members and bringing in new people that have got a track record of success in implementing these types of technologies.”
Making data a strategic asset
The driving force behind every AI model is data. They are powered by all the world’s data – from maps and books to search queries, videos, and your business data.
“From an organisational point of view, one thing I would focus on is data as a strategic asset.”
Effective AI models can easily support data-driven decision making, but only if they have high-quality datasets to draw from.
“Prioritising data management is crucial for AI. Promentor helps our clients to invest in robust data infrastructure and governance to ensure high-quality, accessible, and secure data.”
Develop your AI strategy with Promentor
Promentor adopt a 3-phase approach to AI implementation:
- Current state assessment and industry benchmarking: identifying your existing capabilities and comparing with others in your industry
- Future-state design: defining your vision and objectives and creating a pathway to your ideal operating model
- AI enablement opportunities: outlining opportunities for AI in your business and providing full support for integration
To discuss AI strategies for your business, contact AI Business & IT Transformation Lead, Dr. Mark Sinclair FGIA CEM, or Managing Partner, Gary Tescher.