How to Build AI-Ready Businesses: Data, AI, and the Power of Outcomes
- edenwhitcomb7
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
AI is everywhere. From generative tools to predictive analytics, it’s shaping industries at a speed we’ve never seen before. Yet for many organisations, the challenge isn’t adopting AI it’s adopting it successfully. In the latest episode of Tomorrow’s Tech Workforce, Bilal Ahmed shares hard-earned lessons from two decades of working with data and AI, guiding corporates, start-ups, and scaleups through digital transformation.
His message is refreshingly clear: technology alone isn’t enough. The real competitive advantage comes from focusing on outcomes, not outputs.
Curiosity as the Starting Point
Bilal’s career began with a simple fascination: how can data predict human behaviour and help us change the future? That curiosity drove him from early experiments in basic AI to leadership roles across banking, fintech, real estate, marketplaces, and energy.
Working across industries gave him a unique perspective on transferable skills and a firm belief that the biggest breakthroughs come when you think strategically, not just technically. “My first ten years were all about the tech,” he explains. “But real impact happens when you connect data and AI to business problems and customer needs.”
Outcomes Over Output
It’s a common trap: teams get excited about new technology and start with the solution, not the problem. Bilal warns against this “AI-first” mindset.
“Don’t start with the tech. Start with the business problem. Define the value. Then choose the technology that fits,” he says.
This approach isn’t just philosophy it’s survival. Citing an MIT report that found 95% of enterprise AI projects fail to deliver positive ROI, Bilal argues for ruthless clarity. Identify two or three critical problems. Nail them. Measure success. Only then should you scale.
The payoff? Faster wins, stronger trust, and solutions that actually deliver value.
Building AI Readiness
Before companies can succeed with AI, they need to ask some tough questions:
Leadership understanding: Do executives truly grasp what data and AI can (and can’t) do?
Data quality: Is the data accurate, consistent, and complete enough to power AI?
Internal capability: Do teams have the skills to build and maintain AI solutions, or is there over-reliance on external partners?
Bilal is developing an AI readiness framework to help organisations score themselves in these areas. “You can’t build competitive AI on a weak foundation,” he warns. “Without quality data and leadership clarity, even the smartest models will fail.”
Start Small, Win Big
Many companies spread their efforts too thin, chasing ten projects at once in the hope that something will work. Bilal advocates for the opposite: small, focused wins.
Delivering measurable outcomes, whether improving customer trust, unlocking revenue, or solving a critical business challenge, builds credibility. It also creates momentum, making it easier to secure buy-in for larger initiatives.
The Future: AI-First Startups and Solopreneurs
While established corporations wrestle with legacy systems and cautious leadership, AI is opening doors for startups and even solo founders. Bilal predicts a future where one-person billion-dollar companies are possible, thanks to AI-powered development platforms and automation.
“Startups can experiment faster, release updates quickly, and customers will accept small glitches if they see constant value,” he explains. “Corporates, with their need for 99% perfection, can struggle to keep up.”
The lesson for larger organisations? Speed matters. Waiting for the technology to “mature” is the biggest risk of all.
People Still Matter Most
Despite AI’s rapid progress, Bilal sees humans playing a critical role in shaping strategy, storytelling, and creativity. He believes data teams of the future will be smaller, more cross-functional, and focused on strategic decision-making while AI handles the heavy lifting of code and infrastructure.
Key human skills will remain invaluable:
Structured thinking to navigate limitless possibilities.
Storytelling to communicate AI’s value across the business.
Continuous learning to keep pace with technology’s evolution.
As Bilal puts it, “We need to learn how to unlearn and relearn. That’s the real superpower.”
Take Action Now
Bilal’s advice to organisations is simple:
Invest in your people. Build a culture of continuous learning and data-driven thinking.
Modernise your platform. A strong technical foundation enables faster AI adoption.
Move with urgency. Start small, measure outcomes, and scale—because in the AI era, not acting is the greatest risk.
AI is transforming the way we work, but its success isn’t guaranteed. By focusing on outcomes, building readiness, and empowering teams, businesses can move from chasing technology to creating real competitive advantage.
Listen to the full episode of Tomorrow’s Tech Workforce to hear Bilal’s strategies for making AI a sustainable driver of growth and innovation.