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What You Need For A Successful AI Partnership

Steve Cangiano is the Chief Product Officer at CMiC, a global leader in construction management software. AI is no longer a futuristic concept. Despite all the buzz and attention AI has received in recent years, many leaders still hesitate when it comes to integrating it into their everyday workflows. There's a common uncertainty around where to begin and a lingering question: What real, tangible value will AI bring to the table? Here's the truth: You don't need to be a data scientist to benefit from AI. You already possess the most critical asset for implementing a successful AI strategy: your own knowledge, experience and understanding of your business. When these strengths are paired with the right tools, that insight becomes exponentially more impactful. It's not about learning how to code or developing algorithms from scratch—it's about leveraging what you already know in smarter, faster ways. As someone who's spent years building and deploying enterprise-grade AI solutions in the construction tech space, I've seen firsthand that the most successful AI outcomes come from empowering people, not replacing them. Below are five key principles that will help you fully harness AI's potential while keeping you firmly at the center of the process. 1. You Already Have the Data, AI Just Unlocks Its Value Most businesses today have comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems that store a tremendous amount of valuable data. However, extracting insights from that data is often a slow, manual process. Teams commonly rely on reporting requests that can take days, or even weeks, to complete. AI changes this dynamic completely. With the ability to rapidly analyze massive datasets, AI can surface patterns and trends in real time. This drastically reduces bottlenecks and accelerates decision making. The best part? You're not starting from scratch. You're using AI to finally unlock the full value of the data you've already spent years collecting. 2. AI Reveals Trends That Help Shape Strategy AI's value isn't limited to simply answering questions; it also helps uncover patterns that might otherwise be missed. Imagine a sudden increase in Requests for Information (RFIs) on a job site. Without AI, that signal might get lost in the noise. But with AI analyzing the data, it becomes clear that there may be coordination or communication issues that require attention. These types of insights allow teams to become more proactive, anticipate issues before they escalate and continuously improve both workflows and outcomes. 3. AI Doesn't Replace You, It Supports You Many fear that adopting AI means handing over control. In reality, the best AI systems are designed with user control and data privacy in mind. You decide how the system is used, who has access and how insights are applied. At CMiC, we've prioritized privacy in the design of our AI tools. For example, chatbot interactions are stored only as long as needed to generate relevant responses. This design builds user trust, leading to more consistent usage, and the more AI is used, the more value it delivers. 4. You're Still The Decision Maker AI can deliver fast answers and recommendations, but judgment still belongs to you. If AI surfaces a finding during a meeting, you still determine whether to act on it or dig deeper. Think of AI as the headline generator: You provide the context and strategy. It's a tool, not a replacement. 5. Understand The Risks Before You Commit While AI holds immense promise, it's not without its challenges. Rushing into an AI-first strategy without fully understanding the implications can backfire. AI adoption must be thoughtful and aligned with your business values and customer expectations. Potential risks include over-reliance on AI outputs, lack of transparency in decision making and data privacy concerns. Adoption can stall or fail if employees feel AI is replacing rather than supporting them. That's why it's critical to start with a clear use case, test iteratively and build trust through transparency and communication. AI should enhance, not disrupt, the value you already deliver. Final Thought Embracing AI isn't about chasing trends or cutting corners. It's about solving real business problems with more speed, clarity and confidence. Your experience, intuition and understanding remain at the heart of every good decision, and AI helps amplify that, not replace it. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?