• Stop Running So Many AI Pilots

    by Goutam Challagalla, Mahwesh Khan and Fabrice Beaulieu

    Summary

    Companies eager to adopt generative AI often launch numerous pilots across departments, chasing quick wins and marginal efficiencies. But a scattershot approach won�t deliver transformative impact. The global consumer packaged goods company Reckitt took a different approach. It chose to go deep in one domain�marketing�where gen AI could be applied across interconnected tasks like insight generation, content creation, and product development. The lesson? To unlock gen AI�s full potential, organizations should resist the urge to experiment broadly and instead go deep and narrow�concentrating efforts where scale and synergy can drive meaningful change. They should begin by selecting a single strategic domain where gen AI can be applied across interconnected tasks. They should then build on existing strengths�such as data assets or technical capabilities�to scale AI adoption meaningfully. By rethinking core processes within that domain and aligning teams around transformation rather than experimentation, companies can unlock deeper insights, accelerate innovation, and achieve measurable impact.