Mark Smith
· 2 min read
Riding the AI Wave

This post was originally published in 2023. Some details may have changed since then.
The AI Wave is a big one. Being prepared isn't just about being innovative, it's about making sure you don't fall behind, and have competitors leapfrog you. The tech waves compound on each other.
Here's 4 keys to take advantage of it.
Key 1: Digital Literacy
The digital landscape is evolving rapidly, and with it, the necessity for enhanced digital literacy is paramount. It's about elevating your entire organization to new levels of tech-savvy. From board and exec all the way through to front line.
Key 2: Employee Empowerment
Empowering your employees with AI tools and knowledge is not just a step towards competitiveness - it's a leap towards future-proofing your business.
Innovation sparks from every corner of an organization when its people are equipped and encouraged.
Key 3: Organized Data
Data is the fuel for AI.
Organizing and making sense of this data is crucial. It’s no use if it’s on paper, spread sheets and people’s heads. The time to organize is now.
Key 4: Safe Governance
Implementing AI requires a thoughtful approach to governance.
Ensuring the safety, privacy, and ethical use of AI is vital in maintaining trust and integrity in your digital ventures.
By embracing these four keys, your business won't just ride the wave - it will harness its power. Leading to a future where innovation and efficiency drive unprecedented growth and success.
Timing is crucial. We’ve been through the Digital Wave, Cloud Wave and now starting the AI Wave. They are getting bigger and faster. Failing to prepare your organization in time can mean it’s near impossible to keep up with competitors who do.
What would you add that I've missed?
Want to digitally transform your organization?
Get in touch to find out how I can help.

Mark Smith
Principal AI Strategist · Microsoft MVP
Helping people build practical AI skill in the Intelligence Age.
More from nz365guy

Building a DevOps team from AI agents on OpenCLAW
Ten AI agents, each owning a phase of the DevOps infinity loop, coordinated by an engineering-manager agent. How I built a development team that plans, builds, codes, tests, releases, deploys, operates, and monitors continuously.

Hardening OpenCLAW on Azure after a live audit
A live audit of my OpenCLAW Azure VM found two critical gaps: no Azure-native VM backup and no Azure Monitor Agent. Here is what I fixed, what it cost, and what is still unproven.

I found 268 plaintext secrets in my AI stack
Six weeks ago a security audit told me I had 268 plaintext secrets scattered across my AI agent platform. This week I closed out the migration that fixed it. Here is what I learned about credentials, AI agents, and the gap between what we build and what we secure.

Discussion
Comments
Loading the discussion for this post.
Leave a comment
Your email stays private. If it matches a Gravatar account, your public avatar can appear after the comment is approved.