Unlocking AI’s potential: Why your GenAI projects are losing momentum

Generative AI has moved on from hype to being a continued boardroom priority. Yet, despite widespread adoption, many organisations find themselves stuck in the early stages of implementation, with projects stalling before delivering tangible results. Why? Because achieving success with GenAI isn’t just about adopting new technology; it requires the right strategy, processes, and preparation. Freshworks’ AI workplace report – based on the feedback of over 4,000 global employees and business leaders in a range of functions and industries – has revealed that three in five (61%) of leaders globally state that their organisations have increased AI adoption in the last six months, with 54% saying they plan to increase adoption in 2025. So, how can businesses ensure these plans succeed?

Start with specific use cases

Too often, organisations rush into implementing GenAI without a clear understanding of where it can deliver the most value. For instance, the most popular applications of GenAI include customer support automation, boosting personal productivity, or accelerating software development. However, many organisations fail to define concrete outcomes, resulting in stalled projects.

The key is to begin with targeted, measurable use cases. These can be anything from automating repetitive tasks to enhancing personalised marketing – but, it’s important to narrow your focus, set clear KPIs, and pilot projects that demonstrate immediate value from the start.

Build a comprehensive data strategy

Poor data quality can be one of the biggest roadblocks to GenAI success. According to the AI Workplace Report, 92% of employees say they want to offload some part of their workday to AI – however, without clean, well-structured data, businesses will struggle to see benefits.

A comprehensive data strategy is key. Companies could build and train a proprietary LLM on their own data, but this process can take years, requires in-house data scientists, and is expensive. Partnering with a large LLM vendor is another option – but in either case, this isn’t achievable for most organisations due to poor internal data quality.

CIOs need to break down data silos, ensure data privacy and governance, and invest in cleaning and standardising datasets. Without this foundation, even the most advanced AI tools will deliver inconsistent or unreliable results. Furthermore, creating cross-

functional teams that include IT, data analysts, and business leaders can help bridge the gap between technical execution and business needs.

Embrace experimentation

Risk aversion can also become a challenge; organisations which are hesitant to experiment often miss out on GenAI’s full potential. Successful adopters view GenAI as a work-in-progress, not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Tech leaders can establish a culture of experimentation by creating ‘AI innovation hubs’ or dedicated teams tasked with piloting new GenAI applications. These teams should be given the freedom to test, fail, and iterate without fear of blame. Regularly documenting and sharing lessons learned by pilots can help scale success while mitigating any repeated missteps. It’s also important that leaders ensure employees have access to training and tools that enable them to experiment with AI in their day-to-day tasks.

For those who are already fostering a culture where employees are experimenting with AI – from brainstorming ideas to automating manual workflows – results are evident. The AI Workplace Report revealed that over half (56%) of workers state that their departments are more successful because of AI, with 35% saying they’ve already received a salary bump or promotion because of their AI usage and skills.

Measuring and communicating success

For GenAI to become a genuine driver of business value, CIOs must define and measure outcomes that resonate with stakeholders. This goes beyond return on investment (ROI) calculations – it’s about demonstrating how AI adoption frees up time for employees to focus on strategic and high-value work.

The AI Workplace report revealed 98% of employees report already getting time back in their workday because of AI, reinvesting it in productivity, mentoring, and innovation. Highlighting these wins can not only build stakeholder confidence, but also lead the way for broader adoption in the future.

The future of work, powered by AI

The benefits of GenAI are clear – and with research revealing that nearly half (45%) of UK employees would consider swapping their current jobs for roles that better harness AI, it’s more important than ever that businesses ensure they harness its powers effectively.

GenAI can transform how organisations operate – but only if CIOs take a deliberate, strategic approach. By starting with defined use cases, investing in data readiness, creating a culture of experimentation, and clearly communicating results, CIOs can overcome the hurdles holding their projects back – and provide employees the means to reap more meaningful rewards with GenAI.