In this keynote address, Richard Oldham, Technical Director, Australia & New Zealand at Kore.ai discusses the importance of understanding AI maturity levels to enhance customer and employee experience.

He introduces Gartner’s five stages of AI maturity, emphasising that organisations vary in their readiness and capability to adopt AI. By assessing their current level, companies can identify opportunities to improve efficiencies and drive better interactions across different user groups. Richard draws on his extensive experience in customer experience and highlights the shift in public perception and acceptance of AI technologies, reminiscent of the early days of Wi-Fi adoption.

There is no denying the rapid evolution of AI, particularly following the launch of ChatGPT, which has accelerated experimentation and investment in AI across various sectors. Richard notes that while many organisations have started integrating AI, the primary challenge remains demonstrating AI’s value and effectiveness in delivering expected outcomes. Key considerations include understanding where AI can be leveraged within the business, identifying specific metrics for success and ensuring alignment with broader business goals. Potential risks and brand impacts associated with AI implementation should also be addressed.

Richard outlines the five levels of AI maturity: awareness, active experimentation, operational deployment, systemic integration, and transformational change. Each stage represents a different degree of AI adoption and integration into business processes, from initial exploration to creating new business models. He encourages organisations to adopt a phased approach, starting small and scaling as they refine their strategies. With a focus on continuous improvement, safety, and responsibility, the need for businesses to align their AI strategies with their overall objectives and engage with capable partners to ensure successful deployment will be crucial.

 

Key takeaways:

  • AI maturity levels: Understanding the five stages of AI maturity (awareness, active experimentation, operational deployment, systemic integration and transformational change) helps organisations assess their current capabilities and identify opportunities for improvement in customer and employee experiences.
  • Value demonstration: A key challenge for businesses adopting AI is demonstrating its value and effectiveness. Companies must focus on where to leverage AI, set specific success metrics and ensure alignment with broader business goals while addressing potential risks.
  • Phased approach: Organisations should adopt a gradual approach to AI implementation—starting small, scaling up, and focusing on continuous improvement, safety, and alignment with business objectives to maximise return on investment and drive innovation.
Contributors
Richard Oldham Technical Director, Australia & New Zealand at Kore.ai
Richard Oldham is the Technical Director for Australia & New Zealand at Kore.ai. Through his 25+ year career, Richard’s extensive experience in... More

Richard Oldham is the Technical Director for Australia & New Zealand at Kore.ai.

Through his 25+ year career, Richard’s extensive experience in developing and positioning a broad portfolio of solutions allows him to speak to technical and business stakeholders to find the right technology fit for an enterprise’s requirements.

Responsibilities during his career includes working with clients on technology strategy and business development, partner business development as well as technology enablement and software development.

Over the last 7 years, Richard’s focus has been within the Conversational AI industry and he’s passionate about the opportunity and efficiencies that AI can bring to our region.

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