Bridging the AI Gap: It’s on Us 

By Clinton Anderson|Nov 14, 2024|3:23 pm CST

In the tech world, we often speak passionately about AI’s potential to transform industries and unlock new possibilities. For many of us, the benefits of AI are clear, and we’re driven by an ambitious vision of the future. But for our customers, particularly in fields like hospitality and retail, the reality on the ground often looks very different. Their journey with AI isn’t just about adopting a new tool; it’s about seamlessly integrating it into complex operations, ensuring data security, and guiding teams through significant changes in their daily work. As tech vendors, it’s up to us to help make that happen. 

A Widening Gap in AI Adoption 

There’s a growing gap between where technology providers envision AI going and the current landscape of AI adoption among end-users. While vendors may see AI as a transformative tool, customers are sometimes hesitant, citing concerns around data privacy, security, and change management for their teams. The excitement for AI is undeniable, but excitement alone won’t help teams on the ground operationalize these tools in a way that feels practical, safe, and sustainable. 

It’s not enough for vendors to sell the dream of AI. Our role must be to ensure that adopting AI feels like a natural next step for our customers. That means addressing every concern along the way and, more importantly, fitting these solutions seamlessly into their existing workflows and tech infrastructure. 

Our Responsibility Goes Beyond Onboarding

What does it mean to bring customers along with us on this journey? First, it’s about listening to their unique needs, concerns, and goals. This goes beyond just deploying AI; it’s about change management, and it’s about removing friction wherever we can. Here are a few practical steps vendors can take to ensure AI doesn’t feel like an external or disruptive force but a powerful asset for our customers: 

1. Security and Compliance: Addressing customers’ concerns around data privacy and security should be a top priority. A strong foundation of trust ensures that customers feel comfortable adopting AI without hesitation. 
2. Change Management Support: For many businesses, integrating AI means significant shifts for their workforce. Vendors must help lead change management efforts to make AI adoption smooth and intuitive, providing training and support that make new workflows less daunting. 
3. Seamless Integration: AI should complement existing technologies rather than create barriers. That means designing AI solutions to fit within customers’ existing tech stacks and adapting them to their unique operational needs. 

A Call to Action for Vendors 

If there’s one takeaway, it’s that we as vendors must commit to more than just talking about AI’s future. We need to take tangible steps to ensure customers feel supported throughout their journey. It’s our responsibility to guide them from aspiration to reality, to make sure no one is left behind in the wake of progress. 

By bringing customers along with us, we can unlock the true potential of AI for industries everywhere, transforming not only how they work but also ensuring that technology feels accessible, secure, and transformative for everyone involved. 

If tech vendors embrace this approach it can help customers realize AI’s full potential—empowering them to evolve in ways that feel not only innovative but fully within reach.