Where many companies tire of marginal gains from early AI efforts, the most successful recognize that the real breakthroughs in AI learning and scale come from persisting through the arduous phases.

Patience is a bitter plant, but its fruit is sweet. This Chinese proverb could well apply to the task of harvesting benefits from artificial intelligence (AI). Many organizations underestimate what it takes to sow true gains, be it selecting the right seeds, apportioning the right investment, or having a mindset willing to put up with the vagaries of the crop cycle. But for those that persevere, the rewards can be huge. McKinsey research finds that leading organizations that approach the AI journey in the right ways and stick with it through the tough patches generate three to four times higher returns from their investments.

These AI leaders get on a different performance trajectory from the outset because they understand that AI is about mastering the long haul. They prepare for that journey by anticipating the types of things that will make it easier to navigate the ups and downs, such as feedback loops that allow data quality and user adoption to compound and AI investments to become self-boosting. Where some companies tire of marginal gains from weeks of effort, leaders recognize that the real breakthroughs in AI learning and scale come from working through those small steps.

But only a small number of businesses have figured out how to make AI work in these ways. Read More