AI Copilot Podcast: Success Requires Sharp Focus on Data, Change Management
Welcome to the AI Copilot Podcast, analyzing the latest AI Copilot and agent developments. In this episode, Tom Smith shares 10 big takeaways about the state of Copilots from Community Summit NA in San Antonio, as well as discussions with users as part of this podcast.
This episode is sponsored by the AI Copilot Summit NA, taking place March 17-19, 2025 in San Diego, California.
Highlights
State of Copilots — October 2024 (01:03)
- Data Imperative: Current and prospective copilot users emphasize that AI success requires a robust data strategy as one of its core underpinnings; this includes ensuring business stakeholders and their requirements are top drivers in AI projects.
- Use Case Selection: Start with high-value, low-effort use cases and build from there.
- Maximizing Impact: Copilots will have the greatest impact when they’re built directly into existing workflows when users don’t have to remember to use them.
- Coexistence: In the near future, we should expect to see copilots directing and orchestrating various agents that take action or update other systems or workflows.
- Change Management and People Impact: Users and partners agree that bringing people along is far more challenging than AI tech considerations.
- Tech Quality: One IT exec at our AI Copilot Preconference called it “startingly good” and stated flatly that the bigger obstacles relate to people.
- Training and C-Level Mandates: One strategy to bring people along the AI curve, courtesy of $2 billion, 8,000 employee financial software firm Finastra, is to mandate training for every employee – with CEO backing.
- Licensing Challenges: The proliferation of Microsoft copilots is a source of confusion and complexity for customers and partners alike.
- Security Stopping Rollouts? That’s a poor excuse and Chris Cognetta of CongruentX explained why: copilots are in the Office 365 cloud tenant with its existing security model.
- DIY’s Ready for Prime Time: Creating custom copilots is easier than it may sound based on a range of demos I saw at Summit NA.
Geoff Ables of C5 Insights (who demoed DIY copilots) summed up where we are almost perfectly: “We’re going to burn ourselves a few times on this journey but ultimately I think AI used appropriately will not just be our assistant. It will enhance our ability to do things as humans.”
