AI adoption challenges face South African businesses

South African businesses are facing challenges in translating artificial intelligence investments into measurable business value. While many organizations have completed pilot programs and acquired licenses, experts note a lack of progress in defining clear business objectives, ensuring data readiness, and establishing governance.

Senzo Mbhele, managing director of Cloud On Demand, suggests that fragmented pilots within individual departments often fail to connect to broader business outcomes. He emphasizes that establishing appropriate controls and governance is essential before scaling AI to avoid losing organizational confidence.

Additionally, the integration of AI introduces unpredictability into network environments. Neil Dragt, an innovation executive at Echo South Africa, warns that AI can add a “chaos factor” because it is non-deterministic. To manage this, businesses require enhanced visibility across network, application, and device levels, supported by real-time data to troubleshoot and manage increasingly complex environments.