How to Move AI From Strategy to Execution

AI adoption may be dominating corporate agendas, but for consumer goods marketing teams, the biggest obstacle is translating an enterprise-level AI mandate into something employees can actually use.In this CGT Expert Exchange, we dig into what practical AI adoption looks like for CPG marketers, from identifying the right use cases and overcoming employee hesitation to using customer data more effectively and proving value before scaling.Ali Zirille, RVP, Americas, SAP Engagement Cloud Services, stressed that companies need an overarching AI strategy, governance model and clear decisions about approved tools. But those decisions are only the starting point. Leaders also need to define what AI adoption actually means for individual teams and connect it to specific business goals.Rather than beginning with ambitious use cases, Zirille recommended identifying everyday pain points. A manual reporting process that consumes hours each week, for example, can provide an opportunity to demonstrate AI’s value quickly.Showing employees that AI can eliminate four hours of repetitive work every Friday gives them something tangible to evaluate. It can also reduce some of the resistance and anxiety surrounding adoption by showing how the technology can free employees to focus on higher-value work.The same start-small approach applies to customer engagement.AI may be introducing new capabilities into digital marketing, but Zirille cautioned marketers against overlooking established customer journey fundamentals, including welcome offers, abandoned carts, back-in-stock communications and loyalty reactivation. The opportunity is to use AI to make those interactions more relevant while improving efficiency for marketers.She pointed to Mizuno USA as an example. The company’s small digital team introduced AI into its abandoned-cart program to improve segmentation and determine which products customers were shown.Another readily accessible AI opportunity may already exist within the data companies collect from consumers.Leaders can examine sources such as customer reviews, CSAT scores, service tickets and recorded support calls. AI can help synthesize that information and quantify recurring themes, giving organizations a clearer view of customer friction and potential areas for improvement.The technology, however, shouldn’t make the final decision. Zirille noted that human judgment remains essential when determining what the business should do with those insights and how different functions should respond.

How to Move AI From Strategy to Execution

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