Developing an Artificial Intelligence Strategy: The Key to Success

CONVERSATIONAL AI

There’s a new development in artificial intelligence every day—new models, industry-specific solutions, powerful infrastructures… But the main question remains unchanged: “How can we turn this technology into meaningful value for our organization?”
The answer lies in a single word: Strategy.
Because it’s not about having the technology—it’s about having the vision to steer it. At CBOT, we’ve been leading the transformation of artificial intelligence in business since 2015. Working with numerous organizations—from banking to the public sector, retail to transportation—we’ve seen that success is not determined by the tools you have, but by what you plan to do with them.

In this article, we’ll discuss why creating an AI strategy is not just a technical matter, how it affects everything from organizational culture to business processes, and how such a strategy should be structured.

 

Why Is Strategy Necessary?


 AI is both exciting and confusing for many organizations. Where should you start? How much should you invest? Which technologies should you choose? The answers vary from one organization to another. But one constant remains: this process must be managed within the framework of a strategy.
 One of the key differences we see in the field at CBOT is that organizations with a strategy can implement AI projects much faster, more effectively, and sustainably. A strategy builds a bridge between organizational goals and technology. It provides guidance, sets priorities, and rationalizes resource allocation.
 An AI strategy is not just a technical document; it’s a transformation plan aligned with business goals.

Where to Start?
 The first step in developing a strategy is asking the right questions. At CBOT, we recommend organizations begin by answering these four core questions:

  • What are your company’s main business goals?

  • How can artificial intelligence play a role in achieving these goals?

  • Where is your human capital primarily being used today?

  • How much of this work is repetitive, rule-based, and process-oriented?

These questions guide you to the backbone of your AI strategy. Because AI is not an abstract technology—it’s concrete and operational enough to transform your daily workflows.
 At CBOT, we begin with a discovery process based on such questions, then clarify solutions that support the business objectives. What shapes the strategy is not only the corporate vision but also on-the-ground realities.

The Most Fundamental Strategic Question: Where Do We Spend Our Time?


 When talking about AI strategy, there’s one often-overlooked but possibly most critical topic: Where and how are we using our human resources?
 In many organizations, employees are heavily involved in operational processes. Tasks like answering calls, filling out forms, generating texts, managing procedures, and handling repetitive approval flows are core parts of the organization’s daily functioning. These tasks are important—but they also demand intensive time and attention.
 One of our first analyses at the start of any project is: Which tasks and departments consume time, and to what extent are these processes suitable for automation?
 The answer to this question determines the direction of your AI strategy. AI should not replace the workforce but rather redirect it toward more efficient and creative domains.
 Strategic success comes from empowering employees. When repetitive burdens are lifted from teams using AI, both service quality and employee experience improve. This ultimately creates a more agile, flexible, and focused organizational structure in the long run.

There Is No Strategy Without Leadership


 An AI strategy is not just the responsibility of technical teams. The strategy must align closely with corporate goals, and ensuring that alignment is the role of top management.
 In successful organizations, AI touches not only on efficiency but also on strategic areas like competitive advantage, customer experience, and new revenue models. This requires vision, coordination, and determination.
 At CBOT, we address AI strategy at the executive level in every organization we work with—bridging the gap between strategic goals and operational reality.

Strategy Is a Living Document


 AI is a rapidly evolving field. New models, new use cases, new regulations… This dynamism requires strategies to be living, adaptable structures.
 At CBOT, we recommend reviewing and updating AI strategies at least twice a year. The roadmap outlined in the beginning should be continuously improved based on insights gained from pilot projects. Successful strategies don’t just take the right path—they are flexible enough to rebuild that path when necessary.

 

AI is no longer just a technology investment—it is a strategic force that transforms business models, organizational structures, and leadership approaches.
Even if an AI project without strategy brings short-term gains, it will lack sustainability in the long term. Projects driven by strategy, however, prepare the organization not just for today, but for the future. At CBOT, we know this for sure: no matter how complex an organization may be, a strategy journey that begins with the right questions will always lead to the right outcomes. Now is the time to ask your organization’s most critical question: Where are you directing your human capital, and how ready are these resources to shape your future? With artificial intelligence, it’s possible not only to transform your business processes—but also your way of thinking. And that begins with strategy.