Our series of business podcasts features smart thought leaders providing insights on the key issues shaping business success and the global economy. They discuss and critique best practice, the use of emerging technology and address key issues of poor performance. This edition we feature Asitha Rodrigo. This episode is accompanied by a Further Information Sheet on Ai: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OaV6WpgNptAlX9C3sKcY7lCei4dtUs1l/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112329473571806287114&rtpof=true&sd=true

Asitha Rodrigo discusses the current landscape of AI in business, addressing the hype versus reality of AI technologies. He emphasises the importance of understanding the specific problems businesses are trying to solve with AI, rather than adopting AI for its own sake. He covers the challenges of implementing AI solutions, the need for skilled talent, and the evolving decision-making process between buying and building AI solutions. Asitha shares insights from his extensive experience in software engineering and technology leadership, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future potential of AI in business operations.

takeaways

• AI is a powerful operational tool, not magic.
• Understanding the problem is crucial before implementing AI.
• AI can augment business operations significantly.
• The hype around AI often overshadows its practical applications.
• Organisations must assess AI solutions like any other tool.
• Talent shortages in AI are often due to a lack of foundational skills.
• AI implementation requires careful consideration of existing systems.
• The cost of AI tools is rising, impacting scalability.
• Buy vs. build decisions are evolving with AI capabilities.
• AI's impact on business will continue to grow as technology advances.