AI Gone Rogue: How to Stop Your Investments from Turning into a Sci-Fi Nightmare

Imagine a sci-fi movie where a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) system spins out of control. That's what can happen with AI in the enterprise if we're not careful. We see the incredible power of the tool, but we forget to put the safety locks on it.

The lure of the new (and the danger of forgetting the old)

It’s tempting to dive headfirst into AI and try all the latest tools and techniques. The allure is the same as buying a lottery ticket. However, that kind of thinking can blind us to the investment goals of AI: Gaining a predictable return on our efforts.

What happens when you throw money at a problem?

Companies are now throwing money towards AI, without real plans or objectives.

This is not efficient because the key to proper governance is to solve the question, “What is the true value of an AI tool?”

The governance gap: A real-world problem

When there isn't strong governance, AI's real benefits get lost. Profitability slows and people start to wonder where the business value really is.

This usually results in this comment sentiment: "What's the point of investing so much if we aren't seeing financial gains?"

From chaos to control: A few simple steps

1. Establish AI guidelines. Know what you want to do with the tech.
2. Create a clear path and ensure that all AI investments are aligned with, and advance, company goals.
3. Implement metrics to gauge progress. See that all investments come with positive metrics and the numbers are working.

Don't let the power of AI hurt the business. Use it responsibly, thoughtfully, and strategically. Implement proper governance and keep your AI investments from turning into a sci-fi nightmare.