AI Adoption: Are Boards Asking the Wrong Questions?

Across boardrooms today, one question is being repeatedly asked: “What’s our AI strategy?”

It’s a fair question - AI is dominating news headlines, reshaping industries, and redefining competitive advantage. But in the rush to respond, many organisations are falling into a trap: treating AI adoption as a technology project rather than a true transformation initiative. The result? Disconnected pilots, underwhelming ROI, and a growing sense of frustration.

The Optics of AI: Pressure from the Top

Boards and executive teams are under immense pressure to showcase that their organisations are not being left behind. Investors, customers, and employees are looking for signs of innovation. This has led to a surge in AI experimentation - chatbots here, predictive models there, or proof-of-concepts sprinkled across departments. And with no clear ownership, projects are often left as a side of desk task – leading to underwhelming results.

While some initiatives may look good on a slide deck, they rarely move the needle. That’s because they’re often reactive, not strategic. They’re driven by optics, not outcomes.

The Problem with Piecemeal Projects

When AI is introduced in isolated pockets of the business, without a clear vision, governance, or alignment to corporate goals, it becomes just another tool in the already busy tech stack. These small-scale projects might solve localised problems, but they don’t deliver the enterprise-wide value that boards really care about. Worse, they can create confusion, duplication and increase business risk if data sensitivity and GDPR are not considered appropriately.

This fragmented approach also reinforces the misconception that AI is “just another IT project.” In reality, AI should cover everything:people, processes, data, culture, and customer experience. It requires a fundamentally different way of thinking about how your organisation operates.

AI as a Business Change Project

To unlock the true potential of AI, organisations must shift their mindset. AI adoption isn’t about deploying tools; it’s about reimagining how work gets done. That means:

·      Starting with outcomes and problems to solve, not technology capabilities.

·      Engaging cross-functional leadership, not just IT.

·      Embedding AI into core processes, not bolting it on.

·      Investing in change management.

This is where many organisations are struggling. They know AI is important, but they don’t know where to start or how to scale. A common misconception is that value comes from complexity - that you need pro-code developers working for months to see results. But today, many AI solutions are plug-and-play or low-code, making it easier than ever to drive impact quickly and iteratively!

That’s why a strategic, cross-business approach is essential- one that focuses on simplicity, speed, and solving real problems, not just building sophisticated systems.

Where to Begin?

The good news is that you don’t need to have all the answers on day one. What you do need is a partner who can help you ask the right questions and build a roadmap that aligns with your business goals and works towards overcoming key challenges. In other words, a partner that will take you on a value journey aimed at transformation, not ideation.

Robiquity specialises in helping organisations move beyond isolated pilots to enterprise-wide transformation. We combine deep expertise in AI and low-code automation with a practical, business-first approach. We focus on change, not the idea of change. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, we help you turn ambition into action. We don’t just implement technology, we help you reimagine how your business works.

So, if your AI strategy feels more like a collection of disconnected experiments than a cohesive plan, it might be time to pause and rethink. The real question isn’t “What’s our AI strategy?” it should be “How are we transforming our organisation for the future?”

Let’s turn your AI ambition into enterprise-wide transformation - connect with Robiquity today.