Artificial Intelligence for Business

APPENDIX CPitfalls to Avoid

Step 1: Ideation

Pitfall 1: A Narrow Focus

Artificial intelligence is an emerging field with wide applications. Although trying to solve every problem with artificial intelligence is not the right approach, care should be taken to explore new potential avenues and ensure that your focus is not too narrow. During the ideation stage, it is essential to be as broad-minded as possible. For instance, consider how AI might be able to improve not only your core business but also auxiliary functions such as accounting. Doing so while acknowledging the limits of real-world applications will facilitate idea generation. Some applications for AI can also be relatively abstract, benefiting from lots of creative input. All ideas that are considered plausible, even those in the indeterminate future, should be included in the idea bank.

Pitfall 2: Going Overboard with the Process

It is easy to get carried away with rituals, thus sidelining the ultimate goal of generating new ideas. Rituals such as having regular meetings and discussions where people are free to air their opinions are extremely important. Apart from these bare necessities, however, the focus should be placed on generating ideas and exploring creativity, rather than getting bogged down by the whole process. The process should never detract from the primary goal of creating new ideas.

Pitfall 3: Focusing On the Projects Rather than the Culture

For an organization, the focus should be on creating ...