Business Technology Roundtable

To date, the dominant narrative around artificial intelligence (AI) in business was one of cautious optimism shadowed by disappointment. Organizations launched pilots, generated buzz, and then quietly shelved initiatives that failed to scale. That narrative is changing. The World Economic Forum (WEF) inaugural MINDS report, produced in collaboration with Accenture, offers one of the most comprehensive snapshots yet of what successful, real-world Applied-AI adoption actually looks like. The findings are instructive, occasionally surprising, and carry clear strategic lessons for any organization still searching for the bridge between experimentation and ROI impact. The Scale of What is Happening The MINDS program drew applications from over 30 countries spanning every major region, with participation cutting across industries from energy and healthcare to financial services and advanced manufacturing. Information technology (IT) accounted for nearly one-third of all submissions, but what...

This report is the first in a series of research-based editorials that profile the leading artificial intelligence "AI Stack" advantages, from the large enterprise senior executive perspective. Your Strategic Advantage in The AI Era The enterprise AI market is not just growing; it's exploding, with projections reaching hundreds of billions of dollars by 2030. For large enterprises, the strategic implementation of Applied-AI is no longer optional — it is the new frontier for long-term competitive advantage. The core challenge has shifted from AI experimentation to deploying scalable solutions that deliver tangible business outcomes, such as significant cost savings, new revenue streams, and superior customer experiences. However, hurdles like data silos, talent shortages, and proving value are significant. This advisory guidance makes the case for a strategic Applied-AI Initiative built on the Google AI stack. Google Cloud has established itself as a "Full-Stack Inno...

While many industries grapple with artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, healthcare and life sciences have emerged as unexpected frontrunners in the Applied-AI transformation. This isn't merely about early adoption; it's about meaningful deployment at scale. The healthcare sector has decisively moved beyond the experimental phase, transforming AI from a technological curiosity into an operational necessity, reshaping everything from drug discovery to clinical documentation. What makes this transformation particularly compelling is its breadth. Unlike other sectors where AI applications remain narrowly focused, healthcare organizations are deploying AI across an extraordinarily diverse range of use cases — from analyzing medical imagery to accelerating pharmaceutical research, from optimizing hospital workflows to personalizing treatment protocols. This multi-dimensional adoption reflects both the complexity of healthcare challenges and the sector's willingness to embrace i...

The democratization of artificial intelligence (AI) has created an unprecedented opportunity. Are you prepared to skillfully apply this digital transformation catalyst? While enterprises invest millions in proprietary information technology (IT) solutions, readily available free Generative AI (GenAI) tools now match or exceed many corporate capabilities — enabling dramatic productivity gains across functional groups and business units. The strategic advantage lies not just in the tools, but in their skilled application. Experienced practitioners can rapidly deploy these technologies within appropriate risk boundaries, neither compromising intellectual property nor exposing proprietary content. This combination of powerful capabilities and pragmatic governance creates immediate value without traditional enterprise IT constraints. It presents a strategic imperative for executive decision-makers. The Business Technology Landscape The artificial intelligence technology market has evolved ...

Is your leadership team ready to move beyond the consideration phase and harness the transformative power of Generative AI (GenAI), or are you trapped in analysis paralysis? Deloitte's latest quarterly report on "The State of Generative AI in the Enterprise" provides a comprehensive look at how organizations are navigating the GenAI adoption call to action.  The Q3 2024 survey of 2,770 leaders across 14 countries offers valuable insights into the current state of GenAI implementation, challenges, and future outlook. It's insightful reading. Building on Initial GenAI Success Organizations are seeing early value from their strategic GenAI initiatives, with 67 percent increasing investments due to strong business outcome results. While improved efficiency, productivity, and cost reduction remain top priorities (cited by 42 percent as the most important benefit), a majority (58 percent) report diverse benefits such as increased innovation, improved products, and enhanced...

Are your board of directors and executive team ready to transform your business with the latest technology, or will you be left behind as your competitors accelerate their adoption? The transformative power of Generative AI (GenAI) applications is impacting industries across the globe, promising not only enhanced efficiency but also new avenues for value creation. According to the latest research by PwC , a significant 70 percent of CEOs anticipate that GenAI will fundamentally change how their companies operate in the next three years. Let's explore the key insights from PwC's report, focusing on the GenAI "Value Realization Flywheel" and its implications for businesses seeking to harness this methodology. The Promise of GenAI Across Industries Generative AI is poised to revolutionize various business sectors, with software companies potentially seeing a 20 percentage-point increase in their profit margins. Even industries with modest projected gains, such as transp...

As founder of the Business Technology Roundtable, I can advise senior executives on rapidly emerging technologies and their potential impact on digital business transformation. One of the most significant and potentially disruptive technologies today is Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Powered by advances in machine learning, this technology refers to AI systems that can generate new content, such as text, images, audio, video, and more in response to prompts from humans.   The pace of advancement in Generative AI has been astounding. Since the public release of ChatGPT in November 2022, tool capabilities have continued to grow at breakneck speed. Business interest has followed suit – attracted by the vast potential to drive efficiency, productivity, innovation, and digital business growth. However, along with the enthusiasm, important questions remain regarding effective adoption approaches, risk management, workforce retraining, and ethical implications. To better...

Managed cloud services can accelerate your business by allowing you to transform ideas into marketable products and services with greater speed. Cloud can provide nearly limitless scalability, enabling your business to grow without time and resource intensive IT build-outs. Cloud can transform the economics of your IT -- from capital-intensive, to pay-as-you-go. Service level agreements guarantee the capabilities you need, when you need them. Costs are tiered and metered to accurately reflect your requirements and usage. All applications, including legacy, run more efficiently and sustainably with greater utilization of the underlying infrastructure. Cloud can make new business models possible and unlock revenue potential. Companies can enter new markets, respond more quickly to changing customer needs, collaborate more effectively to drive innovation and business value. Collaboration Use-Case Scenario Global organizations face real collaboration challenges. Employee expertis...

We live in a more connected and fast-moving world than ever before. Small business start-ups overtake established incumbents to dominate their markets with increasing speed. Developing countries leapfrog massive landline telecom investments and jump straight to mobile communications. While our growing interconnectedness brings many benefits, it also sometimes means greater vulnerability and a heightened sensitivity to risk. Increasingly we look to enabling technology to support both our personal and professional lives. As individuals, we expect instantaneous and ubiquitous access to communications, data, content, and applications. We increasingly look to social media to inform our personal and business decisions. As business leaders, we expect technology to deliver cost efficiencies, improve customer experience, drive revenue growth, and foster innovation. At the same time, we expect constant availability and end-to-end security. Evolving Beyond the Legacy IT Models This combi...