The concept to production reality
AI pilots almost always work, and that’s the problem. Proofs of concept (PoCs) are meant to validate feasibility, surface use cases, and build confidence for larger investments. But they thrive in conditions that rarely resemble the realities of production.
“PoCs live inside a safe bubble” observes Cristopher Kuehl, chief data officer at Continent 8 Technologies. Data is carefully curated, integrations are few, and the work is often handled by the most senior and motivated teams.
The result, according to Gerry Murray, research director at IDC, is not so much pilot failure as structural mis-design: Many AI initiatives are effectively “set up for failure from the start.”