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Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Business Case For Data Readiness: Rethinking ROI In The Age Of AI
Sean Nathaniel is CEO of DryvIQ, the Intelligent Data Management Company trusted by over 1,100 organizations worldwide. Rapid AI adoption has transformed data preparation from an IT initiative to an enterprise-wide priority. Historically, conversations around unstructured data have focused on risk: minimizing exposure, ensuring compliance and meeting regulatory demands. But with AI driving such monumental change—and using this data to do it—that framing is no longer enough. Unstructured data readiness is more than just a safeguard; it's a growth strategy, and should be evaluated as such. Businesses are now analyzing and organizing data not just to avoid risk, but to unlock value and drive measurable outcomes. By making data (and knowledge worker content in particular) relevant, organized, cleansed and secure, they can supercharge automation, unleash AI and make faster, sharper decisions. That shift in thinking requires a shift in how we frame the business case for data readiness strategies. Data is more than just a technological byproduct of conducting business—it's now a driver of business impact. And that makes every business leader, not just IT, responsible for driving data readiness forward. Why Risk-Based Business Cases Fall Short Data initiatives have traditionally focused on reducing risk or cutting costs, but that narrow view misses the real opportunity. Today, enterprise content is a strategic asset, powering AI, automation and insights that drive growth. With over 90 percent of enterprise data being unstructured, organizations without a clear data readiness strategy aligned to business objectives risk missing out on significant value. To make the case for data readiness today, IT and business leaders must move beyond minimizing downside and focus on the upside, demonstrating how these efforts enable growth and help achieve strategic goals. Beyond ROI: The Three Returns of Data Readiness Recently, Gartner introduced a framework for evaluating the business outcomes of AI-related investments. Rather than looking solely at return on investment (ROI), they recommend assessing two additional dimensions: • Return On Employee (ROE): Return on employee engagement and productivity • Return On Future (ROF): A strategic bet that the initiative will benefit the future growth of the company A comprehensive data readiness strategy delivers across all three. When content is organized and AI-ready, employees spend less time sifting through data and more time solving problems. Clean, well-classified content enables AI to generate accurate and meaningful insights with the push of a button. This allows teams to act faster and make decisions with greater confidence, amplifying the impact of each employee and improving productivity across the organization. Atlassian's AI Collaborators Report shows top AI users save up to 105 minutes daily—equal to an extra workday each week—and are 1.5 times more likely to invest that time in learning new skills. According to an IDC report, generative AI delivers substantial returns, with organizations seeing an average of $3.70 for every dollar spent. For top-performing organizations, that ROI increases to $10.30. These returns are only possible when AI has access to clean, organized and high-quality data. Without it, initiatives can stall or underperform, missing their full potential. Data readiness ensures that AI investments deliver the measurable financial outcomes that we expect. One of the most strategic benefits of data readiness is its ability to support long-term adaptability and innovation. AI strategies are evolving by the day. Until recently, agentic AI was hardly part of the conversation—now, Microsoft predicts that more than 80% of organizations expect agents to be moderately or extensively integrated into their AI strategy within the next 12 to 18 months. New tools, new use cases and new regulatory demands will continue to emerge, and it's nearly impossible to predict precisely how the technology will evolve next. A strong data foundation ensures that organizations can pivot with confidence, adapt to change and act on new opportunities at scale. Building A Business Case That Wins To secure executive buy-in, data leaders must translate technical efforts into business outcomes. Executives do not invest in cleanup; they invest in performance, agility and growth. Here are a few ways to shift the conversation: Lead with insight, not infrastructure. Use a targeted data scan or proof of concept to uncover risks, inefficiencies and untapped opportunities within unstructured data repositories and business applications. Let those early results shape the narrative and demonstrate impact, proving the value of developing a data readiness roadmap. Tie efforts to active business initiatives. Position data readiness as the foundation for priorities such as AI adoption, content platform modernization or other transformation initiatives. When aligned with current business strategies, data projects are far more likely to gain traction. Forecast return with clarity. Use pilot results or industry benchmarks to forecast impact, whether that means increased ROI from operational efficiency, higher ROE through improved productivity, or stronger ROF by enabling future initiatives. Demonstrate scalability. Demonstrate how your approach can be tailored to various teams, systems and objectives. A one-size-fits-all solution may not work, but a framework that can scale to meet a variety of needs, including those that may arise in the future, will resonate with decision-makers. Staying Ready For What's Next AI may be today's driver of change, but data readiness is about more than preparing for the present moment. As enterprise data volumes continue to grow and business priorities shift, organizations need strategies that scale with them. Data readiness is no longer a one-time project. It is an ongoing, strategic initiative that enables speed, agility and innovation. Companies that invest now in scalable, flexible data strategies will be ready not just for AI, but for whatever comes next. The most successful enterprises will not just react to change; they will stay ahead of it. And that begins with how they ready their data today. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
AI Recommends, Human Decides, Bot Executes: The Future Of Automation
Dutt Kalluri is a top enterprise transformation exec and AI leader known for driving digital reinvention and scalable innovation. With the convergence of robotic process automation (RPA), generative AI and process intelligence, a new paradigm is emerging at enterprises: AI recommends, human decides, bot executes. This shift has immense potential for unlocking new levels of agility, resilience and innovation, but companies must plan carefully to prepare for this new way of working. Whether you're a CIO rethinking your digital architecture or a business leader aiming to future-proof operations, let's look at some of the factors to understand as we enter this new age of intelligent automation. From Task Automation To Judgment Automation Legacy RPA focused on automating clicks and keystrokes. Today, intelligent automation is evolving into decision automation, driven by: • AI recommending actions through contextual analysis and predictive insight. • Humans deciding by validating, approving or adjusting those recommendations. • Bots executing the defined tasks quickly and consistently. From my experience leading digital transformation initiatives across industries, this collaboration manifests in several evolving patterns: • Humans become supervisors and exception handlers, not task doers. For instance, in accounts payable, bots now ingest and reconcile invoices, while finance staff step in only for anomalies or policy exceptions—freeing up time for vendor negotiations and strategic planning. • Domain experts are becoming "AI trainers"—teaching models how to interpret context. In healthcare, clinical staff help refine diagnostic AI by reviewing model outputs and feeding corrections back into the system. • Business users are empowered as "citizen automators," designing workflows with low-code tools. In retail, store managers automate daily reports and inventory reorders without writing a line of code—bringing agility to the front lines of operations. In other words, collaboration between humans and machines is no longer abstract. In manufacturing, plant supervisors no longer spend hours manually creating daily production schedules. AI generates optimized plans, humans tweak them and bots execute the orders across enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and manufacturing execution systems (MES). In banking, the Know Your Customer (KYC) process that once took 10 days now takes two, as bots handle document review and data extraction while compliance officers focus only on complex exceptions. In healthcare, providers can automate patient intake so that nurses spend more time interacting with patients. How Work Will Evolve These shifts are changing the nature of work. The focus is no longer on doing the process, but on designing, supervising and improving it. As bots take on repeatable, high-volume tasks, human roles are evolving toward judgment, oversight, empathy and innovation. To succeed with this model, leaders must invest not only in technology but in upskilling, governance and cross-functional collaboration frameworks that support this new division of labor. Autonomous agents don't replace human decision-making—they multiply it. By taking over repetitive, time-intensive tasks such as data entry, scheduling and reconciliation, they give professionals back the time to focus on judgment, creativity and innovation. These agents surface insights at a speed no human could match, allowing leaders to make better decisions faster. Humans now shape strategies, handle exceptions and bring the empathy and contextual understanding that machines can't replicate. The result is a workforce that creates more value, not less. Governance, Trust And Responsible Automation However, the rush to adopt AI-driven automation brings risks that must be addressed. Without governance, companies risk biased algorithms making unethical decisions, non-compliance with strict regulations in areas like finance and healthcare and a loss of transparency that erodes employee and customer trust. To ensure that these tools are safely adopted, organizations need to ensure that they have: • Clear auditability and oversight. • Ethical design in AI behavior. • Compliance with evolving regulations. • Protection against hallucinations and bias in generative models. • A human in the loop at all times. In other words, responsible automation means instituting strong controls: human oversight on high-impact decisions, explainable AI that can be audited, continuous monitoring for bias or drift and clear accountability when things go wrong. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Khaleej Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Fajar Realty CEO wins India influencer award in Dubai
Kiran Khawaja, a prominent figure in Dubai's real estate sector, was honoured as the 'Top Business Leader – Real Estate Excellence Icon' at the India International Influencer Awards, in Dubai. The award recognized her contributions and leadership in the real estate industry. Kiran Khawaja has transformed Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) into a red-hot property destination, drawing attention from investors across the Middle East. She has carved a unique niche in the regional property sector. Her leadership and strategic foresight continue to set her apart from others in the field. Kiran, who is the CEO of Fajar Realty, said: 'I am pleased and deeply honoured to be recognized as the 'Top Business Leader – Real Estate Excellence Icon.' With Dubai consistently setting monthly property records and emirates like Ras Al Khaimah attracting first-time investors, the UAE's real estate market is experiencing sustained growth. This is a strong indication that RAK is poised for remarkable development in the coming months.' Kiran has consistently been in the spotlight, earning accolades throughout her 19-year journey in the industry. Under Kiran's dynamic leadership, Fajar Realty has expanded significantly not just in Dubai, but internationally. Her vision continues to guide the company through the evolving challenges of the UAE real estate market, positioning her and her brand for even greater success.
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Strategies For Integrating AI And Human Creativity In Business
Team using analytics software insights to brainstorm strategy Anyone with a pulse realizes AI is no longer a far-off possibility. The technology is not only here, but it's a priority for most businesses. Research indicates that 77% of companies are using or exploring the use of AI. Furthermore, 83% of businesses have made AI a top priority in the planning process. As a business leader, I've seen firsthand the anxieties and opportunities AI presents. With slightly over half of employees anxious about whether AI will replace them, leaders forging ahead may want to strategize carefully. AI's capabilities will continue to grow, with some of those possibilities yet unknown. But recognizing the technology as an amplifier rather than a replacement for human creativity could enhance a company's competitiveness. Yes, the way workers perform their jobs will change. However, a business can develop or strengthen its market position through the integration of AI and human creativity. Here are three strategies to consider. 1. Elevate Creativity Creatives may see AI as the enemy—a combination of algorithmic genius poised to replicate the work they do. It's an understandable concern, especially when generative AI is recreating everything from blog posts to graphic designs. The outcomes are often indistinguishable from human creations, though there's plenty of debate on how to spot AI-generated content. However, the real power of this emerging technology lies in its ability to amplify our human capabilities. Instead of letting AI replace people-centered invention, the approach should be to treat it as a tool to expand and polish human imagination. While technology might learn certain aspects of the creative process, qualities like human-to-human communication and emotional intelligence are areas AI simply can't fully grasp. As Adriana Leos, CCO of vzynares, a website design studio, insightfully puts it: 'My number one tip for integrating AI into the creative process would be to never ask AI for an opinion, ask AI for information—form your own opinions and use your own imagination when it comes to creation. The real power of AI in the creative process comes when you remain the driver.' Leos goes on to say you can 'Use it to explore unexpected directions, generate quick drafts or variations, break creative blocks and challenge your own assumptions. But always bring it back to your own point of view.' This is about finding ways to embrace AI as a collaborator instead of a threat. 2. Harness Collaborative Intelligence If you were to make a list of AI's strong suits, pattern recognition and data-driven insights would undoubtedly be at the top. Generative AI can string together data points faster than the human mind. It also has the uncanny ability to perform analysis in real time while unfolding predictions based on complex data sets. These capabilities are powerful assets to human creativity. What AI can do with data helps the creative process become more efficient, on point and emotionally effective. Ultimately, AI reduces the risk of a brand voice becoming less about resonating with the audience and more about expressing a purely subjective lens. This sentiment is echoed by Amanda Nielsen, B2B creator and partner sales manager at Box, who states: 'AI can automate output, but it can't replicate taste. The brands that stand out will be the ones that know the difference, intentionally building a unique point of view into everything the brands create.' It's all about catering to a growing appetite for authenticity, while leveraging AI to make content more scalable. Nielsen reiterates this by describing the role of AI in content creation and developing an authentic brand voice. 'For me, that means training AI tools on my past content and brand voice, so even the assisted output feels unmistakably 'me.' That's how content stops being filler and starts becoming brand IP.' 3. Rely on Human Oversight McKinsey & Company gathered data on how organizations are overseeing the integration of generative AI in workflows and processes. An interesting insight from this data is that companies seem to be operating at both ends of the scale. Twenty-seven percent of participating organizations indicated employees review all AI-generated content before use. Yet, a similar share of companies stated 20% or less of AI-generated content is checked by humans before it's used. This opens up ethical concerns, including the possibility of published content with incorrect or misleading information. Other ethical concerns include potential copyright infringements. These are areas where human oversight can correct mistakes and prevent mishaps. Simultaneously, relying on people to be part of the process helps add meat to the bones that AI comes up with. Unique insights can supplement generalizations. An initial outline might spark a well-received blog series. An AI-generated image could be enhanced to appeal to a target audience's emotional attachment to a brand's product or service. Integrating human oversight isn't just a precaution. While the strategy manages and mitigates risks associated with AI-generated content, it also lets employees develop their skills. Think about critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving and innovative experimentation—those are just a few. Relying on human oversight can bring additional meaning to the work and quell fears of replacement. AI And Human Creativity Generative AI certainly has the ability to replicate human creativity. But arguably, the technology shouldn't be a means of replacing a people-centered process. Replications might represent a good knock-off, yet they often fall short of the real thing. This is precisely why strategies that integrate the capabilities of artificial and human intelligence could help brands truly enhance and refine their creativity. These integrative approaches help businesses balance the scales while remaining competitive. AI can—and should—become a creative partner, not the sole contributor behind a brand's voice.
Fast Company
28-06-2025
- General
- Fast Company
A practical guide to being an ally in the workplace
Pride Month is here, and there's no question we've come a long way since the first Pride events, which advocated for collective solidarity, individual identity, and resistance to discrimination and violence. Yet we still have much further to go. According to one recent report from the University of California at Los Angeles, nearly half of LGBTQ workers have experienced workplace discrimination or harassment at some point in their professional lives. Add in microaggressions, or the everyday slights that happen in plain sight in front of colleagues and managers, and the number is even higher. Here's where allies can make a difference—and there are plenty of them. One PRRI public opinion report indicates that three-quarters of Americans support policies that protect LGBTQ Americans from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodation. But being an ally to any minority is hard, especially when it's not always obvious when someone identifies as LBGTQIA+. So how can you be a better ally and bolster inclusion at work? Here are three ways (plus a bonus!) to be a more effective ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, from a business leader who also happens to be a lesbian. 1. Educate yourself Allyship isn't a passive thing that shows up without effort. Take it upon yourself to understand the struggles of your LGBTQIA+ colleagues and actively try to create change in your workplace. The LGBTQIA+ label is a huge catchall (and a long acronym by any measure). Learning about the everyday experiences of even part of this community is a great starting point to better understanding the struggles we face. In turn, you can take steps to become a more effective ally and drive informed change. At the very least, it'll help you recognize when you have the opportunity to stand up for, or against, something on our behalf. Checking unconscious biases is also part of this narrative. Being self-aware to identify behaviors we're not usually conscious of is the first step in learning how to avoid unintentionally acting on them. 2. Recognize your privilege and use it for good You don't have to apologize for it, you don't have to hide it, but you do need to understand your privilege and the power it bestows. Being a heterosexual person in the workplace—and in the world—gives you the chance to make a difference. It allows you to challenge bias, tackle unfairness, and effect change. And for a heteronormative individual, you can often do those things with far lesser risk. So be vocal. This doesn't have to be in a big, highly visible way—it can be as simple as respecting someone's chosen name or pronouns, and encouraging or gently correcting other people if they defer to the traditional he/she binaries. You have the armor of privilege. Embrace it and then use it to open doors for those who don't have that same protection. Incidentally, having these conversations outside of the workplace with family and friends educates them on what being an effective ally can look like and what they can do to help. The more people we can bring to a place of understanding and support, the deeper the change. 3. Change the culture Consistency is a major win when it comes to good allyship. It's essential to building trust and driving lasting change, so model inclusive behaviors. How? Good allies share opportunities with others: they cut out (and call out) microaggressions thinly disguised as banter; they use inclusive language with intention and sincerity; they listen to a member of the community over coffee and welcome someone into their space. It can be as simple as being the voice against presumptions in the workplace. I've seen this myself when colleagues default to gendered generalities. For example, there's using he/him pronouns when referring to generic or hypothetical humans ('Whoever we bring onboard, he should be highly skilled'). Or assuming someone's gender on the basis of their name when you don't actually know the person or how they identify ('I haven't met Ryan, but I hope he's top-notch'). By gently correcting ('Whoever we bring onboard, they should be highly skilled' or 'I haven't met Ryan, but I hope they're top-notch'), you remind others that gender isn't always what it seems—and that not everyone fits neatly into a gender normative box. It can also be about consciously changing patterned social behaviors. For example, if a coworker mentions that they're married, don't assume they have a husband or wife of a different gender. I can't count the number of times colleagues and clients have asked me 'What does your husband do?' over the years. I've had to come out again and again over the span of my career. Instead, consider asking about who they most enjoy spending time with outside of work or who the important people are in their life. It's an open question that, when asked in an authentic and respectful way, invites the other person to share within their own level of comfort. Continue to challenge the microaggressions. Culture change doesn't come solely from the top. It comes from repetition, from small corrections, and from people like you choosing to do the right thing consistently. The bonus: Don't beat yourself up The ever-evolving language of inclusion means we all trip up occasionally, even with the best of intentions. No one expects you to get it right every time. Don't sweat it. Even we trip up within our own community, be it over chosen names, pronouns, or how we support our loved ones who are transitioning. Give yourself some grace. If you make a mistake, apologize, learn, and keep going. Don't let a slip-up stop you from showing up. Allyship isn't about being perfect. It's rarely about big gestures. It's about showing up, paying attention, and doing what you can consistently. Sometimes it means speaking up. Sometimes it means stepping forward on someone else's behalf. And sometimes it just means being someone others know they can count on. The small, everyday actions add up. And when enough people do them, that's when real change happens.
