Podcast with Patrick | EP 2: AI Adoption: From Hype to Real Value

Introduction

AI is moving fast. New tools, new capabilities, new expectations.

But for most teams, the real challenge isn’t access to AI, it’s knowing how to actually make it work inside the organisation.

In this episode, Patrick Lam and Mark Welland break down what AI adoption really looks like beyond the demos, and where teams are getting it right or going wrong.

1. Setting the stage: AI is everywhere, but value isn’t

• Why AI has become a priority across organisations

• The gap between excitement and actual outcomes

• What’s driving the current wave of adoption

2. Why most AI initiatives struggle

• Common pitfalls teams run into early

• The role of unclear strategy and rushed implementation

• Why technology is rarely the real problem

3. Experimentation vs real adoption

• The difference between running pilots and scaling AI

• Why many teams get stuck after initial success

• What changes when AI becomes part of everyday workflows

4. Understanding AI maturity

• How organisations evolve in their AI journey

• From isolated use cases to embedded capability

• What maturity actually looks like in practice

5. The shifting role of strategy

• How the strategist role is changing in an AI-driven world

• Moving from planning to enabling adoption

• Where human judgment still matters most

6. People, process, and governance

• Why structure matters more than speed

• The importance of ownership and accountability

• Avoiding chaos while still moving fast

7. Where AI is already delivering value

• Real use cases across experimentation and workflows

• How teams are using AI today

• What’s actually working vs what’s still noise

8. Looking ahead: what changes next

• Emerging patterns in how AI will reshape work

• What teams should be preparing for now

• The opportunity for strategists and organisations

Conclusion

If you’re trying to move from “trying AI” to actually getting value from it, this conversation will give you a much clearer picture of what needs to change.

It’s not just about the tools. It’s about how teams think, plan, and work differently.

Watch the full episode to hear how Mark and Patrick break this down in detail.