Some observers are beginning to question whether gen AI will produce enough value to exceed its costs. It can, but extracting economic value from gen AI requires several different types of disciplined capabilities. Unfortunately, most companies lack these. The good news is they can develop them. Specifically, companies should invest in behavioral change, controlled experimentation, measurement of business value, data management, human capital development, and systems thinking. Once these capabilities are in place, companies should focus on picking the right projects for gen AI. They should do this by 1) funding the responsible rebels, 2) choosing projects that are quick, practical wins, and 3) linking those projects to the company’s identity.
