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Capitalizing on AI

Supercharge Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success growth by selecting the right AI initiative.

There are many obstacles and challenges that we see when marketers are selecting and implementing an AI initiative. These obstacles include:

  • A lack of confidence in Marketing's technical expertise
  • Resistance to AI technology
  • Technical resource constraints
  • A lack of structured data for AI learning
  • Ethical concerns about the new technology

Our Advice

Critical Insight

AI is here. Cut through the hype and start with the right initiative. Supercharge revenue growth, accelerate operational efficiency, and increase cost savings with the right AI initiative. Evaluate AI applications according to the value they will bring and your company’s readiness to implement. Prioritize those AI initiatives with the highest value-readiness score to deploy across Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success.

Impact and Result

After working through this research, you'll come away with the ability to:

  • Identify and prioritize the most impactful and realistic AI initiatives for the organization.
  • Identify metrics that will be improved through leveraging AI for growth.
  • Develop internal AI capabilities.
  • Move forward with an agile adoption of AI initiatives.

Capitalizing on AI Research & Tools

1. Capitalizing on AI deck – Drive revenue, save costs, and increase operational efficiency with the right AI initiative

The Capitalizing on AI storyboard will guide you in how to select AI initiatives that are golden opportunities, focusing on those that have a high value and that your organization is ready to implement.

2. AI Use Cases – A comprehensive repository of AI use cases across the Technology and Marketing Management framework.

Use this comprehensive library of AI use cases from across the Technology and Marketing Management framework to identify the AI use cases best suited to deliver value to your organization.

3. AI Evaluation Tool – An interactive tool that allows you to score and rank your highest-scoring AI initiatives.

Flesh out your AI use cases and create AI initiatives with assigned value and readiness scores. Rank and present your highest-scoring AI initiatives.

4. Capitalizing on AI Executive Presentation – Capitalize on AI with this executive presentation to get buy-in and get started on your AI initiatives.

Present your highest-ranked AI initiative to your executive committee so that you can get approval, budget, and resources to move forward with high-value AI initiatives.


Capitalizing on AI

NFO~TECH RESEARCH GROUP | MARKETING RESEARCH & ADVISORY

Capitalizing on AI

Supercharge Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success growth by selecting the right AI initiative.

Info-Tech Research Group Inc. is a global leader in providing IT research and advice. Info-Tech’s products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns.
© 1997-2024 Info-Tech Research Group Inc.
CAPITALIZING ON AI

Table of Contents

03 Analyst Perspective
04 Navigate the New Landscape of AI
07 The Benefits of Using AI are Real and Immense
08 AI Case Studies: From Theory to Reality
14 Overcome Resistance to AI: Addressing Ethical and Technical Implications
15 How to Choose the Right AI Initiative
16 The Secret Sauce: Balance Value Against Readiness
19 AI Use Cases
20 The Top 5 Info-Tech Big Bets on AI
38 A Manifesto for AI
50 Phases and Steps
66 Measure the Value of this Blueprint
68 Bibliography
THE AI REVOLUTION

Analyst perspective

AI is changing the way that CMOs, sales leaders, and heads of customer success do their jobs. In fact, that change has already started to happen. With 90% of organizations using some form of AI (70% using and 19% are testing), failing to act swiftly in the face of this monumental change could lead to lost opportunities and revenue. Those who continue to delay adoption could lose market share and revenue.

Even so, many leaders are unsure how or where to start implementing AI solutions for their companies. Selecting the right AI applications promises to drive immediate revenue, operational efficiency, or cost savings. Nevertheless, leaders need a way to understand which AI initiatives will be the most impactful and which they are most ready to implement.

Leaders should begin selecting their AI initiative because early adoption of impactful technology will provide a competitive advantage. Those who delay adoption will undoubtedly be left behind. The AI revolution is already here, so don’t feel like you are sticking your neck out.

To optimize the AI strategy, it's important to start by identifying how marketing adds value to the organization. This understanding lays a solid foundation for CMOs, sales leaders, and customer success heads to uncover AI use cases that support value creation. With this solid foundation, they can then prioritize AI initiatives that have the greatest value and align with the organization's readiness.

Photo of Terra Higginson, Principal Research Director, Info-Tech Research Group Marketing & Advisory.

Terra Higginson
Principal Research Director,
Info-Tech Research Group
Marketing & Advisory

Photo of Shashi Bellamkonda, Principal Research Director, Info-Tech Research Group Marketing & Advisory.

Shashi Bellamkonda
Principal Research Director,
Info-Tech Research Group
Marketing & Advisory

Navigate the new landscape of AI in Marketing, Sales, and Customer Experience

Pain Points

In the quickly evolving AI landscape, marketing, sales, and customer success professionals encounter significant hurdles. While AI's availability and necessity grow, it brings with it a wave of hesitation and uncertainty.

  • Decision dilemma: Marketers see AI everywhere, but they just aren’t sure where to start, given the wide variety of options available.
  • Risk aversion: There is a large risk to marketers who invest in AI that doesn't deliver business value.
  • Expertise gap: Without a good and easy methodology for selecting AI, it is difficult to assess AI software.

Obstacles

There are many obstacles and challenges that we see when marketers are selecting and implementing an AI initiative. These obstacles include:

  • A lack of confidence in Marketing's technical expertise
  • Resistance to AI technology
  • Technical resource constraints
  • A lack of structured data for AI learning
  • Ethical concerns about the new technology

Info-Tech’s Approach

We help marketers uncover golden opportunities in AI. Our strategy is all about making sure you're choosing initiatives that don’t just have a high impact, but which are also a great fit for your current capabilities. After working through this research, you'll come away with the ability to:

  • Identify and prioritize the most impactful and realistic AI initiatives for the organization
  • Identify metrics that will be improved through leveraging AI for growth
  • Develop internal AI capabilities
  • Move forward with an agile adoption of AI initiatives

AI IS HERE. CUT THROUGH THE HYPE AND START WITH THE RIGHT INITIATIVE.

Supercharge revenue growth, accelerate operational efficiency, and increase cost savings with the right AI initiative. Evaluate AI applications according to the value they will bring and your company’s readiness to implement. Prioritize those AI initiatives with the highest value-readiness score to deploy across Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success.

CAPITALIZING ON AI

AI is here: get on board or be left behind

Welcome to the era of AI:
Businesses vie for limited resources. Adopting new and better technology allows companies to shift away from an overcrowded market where competition is fierce and move into a new frontier of opportunity where efficiency is increased and the opportunities for cost savings or revenue generation are abundant.

Don’t delay:
The AI revolution is already happening. The AI inflection point started in 2023, and exponential growth will continue. You cannot afford to delay. AI isn't just an option to consider later; it is a strategic imperative we face today. Those who falter will be squeezed out of the ever more competitive market. Worse still, those who choose their path blindly risk investing in the wrong AI.

Prioritize high value, high readiness:
Drive revenues, save costs, and increase operational efficiency with the correct AI initiative.

Exponential IT Thought Model

2023 was the AI inflection point

“AI has been around for 40 years, but we have now reached the inflection point. AI is no longer an IT problem but a marketing opportunity.” (David Piazza, SVP Info-Tech Research Group, Marketing Advisory)

Supercharge Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success growth by selecting the right AI initiative.

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 8 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Align to business goals
  • Call 1: Review marketing-supported SMART business goals.
  • Call 2: Brainstorm AI use cases that meet these goals.
  • Call 3: Flesh out each AI initiative with metrics, possible providers, and pain points solved.

Guided Implementation 2: Select AI initiatives
  • Call 1: Gather decision-makers to categorize opportunities as a team and develop a shortlist of top initiatives.
  • Call 2: Score each initiative according to value and readiness. Prioritize initiatives with the highest value-readiness score.
  • Call 3: Build the executive presentation PoC. Outline the initiatives that will have the highest value to your organization.

Guided Implementation 3: Gain approval
  • Call 1: Create the executive presentation for the AI initiatives.
  • Call 2: Discuss next steps after you gain executive approval.

Authors

Terra Higginson

Shashi Bellamkonda

Contributors

Irina Sedenko, Research Director, Info-Tech

Thomas Randall, Advisory Director, Info-Tech

Rob Garmaise, VP Artificial Intelligence Research, Info-Tech

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