Beyond the Walls

Beyond the Walls: Embracing External Innovation in Enterprise AI

Enterprise AI is a complex endeavor with several Blockers (or Rocks) impeding progress. Here’s one blocker and how to deal with it.

Don’t let “Not Invented Here” syndrome hold back your AI transformation.

The Blocker: “Not Invented Here” Syndrome

Imagine a kingdom refusing to trade with the outside world, convinced that its own resources are superior. While self-sufficiency can be admirable, this isolationist mindset can stifle growth and innovation. Similarly, in the realm of Enterprise AI, the “Not Invented Here” syndrome manifests as a reluctance to adopt external solutions, driven by an overconfidence in internal capabilities. This can lead to:

• Reinventing the wheel: Companies waste valuable time and resources developing AI solutions that already exist in the market, often with inferior results.
• Missed opportunities: By ignoring external innovations, organizations miss out on cutting-edge technologies and best practices that could accelerate their AI journey.
• Slower time-to-market: Developing AI solutions from scratch takes significantly longer than leveraging existing tools and platforms, delaying the realization of business benefits.
• Limited scalability: In-house solutions may lack the scalability and robustness of established third-party offerings, hindering the organization’s ability to grow and adapt.

How to Overcome the Challenge:

• 1. Foster a Culture of Open Innovation: Encourage a mindset that values external perspectives and recognizes the benefits of leveraging outside expertise. Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration with external partners, startups, and research institutions.
• 2. Conduct Thorough Market Research: Before embarking on any AI development project, conduct comprehensive market research to identify existing solutions that could meet your needs. Evaluate the features, costs, and benefits of different options.
• 3. Embrace a “Build vs. Buy” Framework: Develop a clear framework for evaluating when to build AI solutions in-house and when to leverage external providers. Consider factors such as time-to-market, cost, expertise, and scalability.
• 4. Focus on Core Competencies: Instead of trying to build everything in-house, focus on developing AI solutions that leverage your organization’s unique strengths and core competencies. Partner with external providers for other aspects of your AI strategy.
• 5. Pilot and Experiment with External Solutions: Don’t be afraid to pilot and experiment with different external AI solutions to evaluate their effectiveness and suitability for your needs. This allows you to gain hands-on experience and make informed decisions.
• 6. Cultivate External Partnerships: Build strategic partnerships with AI vendors, technology providers, and research institutions to access cutting-edge technologies and expertise.

Remember:

The “Not Invented Here” syndrome can be a significant barrier to AI adoption and innovation. By embracing a culture of open innovation, conducting thorough market research, and focusing on core competencies, organizations can leverage the best of both internal and external capabilities to accelerate their AI journey.

Take Action:

• Organize a workshop on open innovation: Bring together key stakeholders to discuss the benefits of external collaboration and identify potential partners.
• Conduct a “build vs. buy” analysis: Evaluate the costs, benefits, and risks of building an AI solution in-house versus leveraging an external provider.
• Attend industry events and conferences: Stay informed about the latest AI trends and technologies by attending industry events and engaging with external experts.
• Explore open-source AI tools and platforms: Experiment with open-source AI tools and platforms to gain experience and evaluate their potential for your organization.

If you wish to learn more about all the Enterprise AI Blockers and How to Overcome the Challenges, visit: https://www.kognition.info/enterprise-ai-blockers