Mohammad Manzoorul IslamFounder & Principal Consultant, Mahdiya · November 2026
Many organisations start their AI journey by buying a tool or running a quick pilot. Some get value; many end up with a demo that never reaches daily work. The difference is rarely the technology. It is whether the organisation was ready to use it. These five questions help a leadership team find out where it stands.
1. Which business problem are we solving?
“We need AI” is not a goal. “We want to cut the time to answer a customer query from two days to two hours” is. Start from a problem that matters to customers or costs, and only then ask whether AI is the right answer. Often a simpler process fix comes first.
2. Is our data usable?
AI works on data. If customer records are spread across spreadsheets, emails and paper files, the first project is getting that data organised and clean. Ask who owns each data set, how current it is, and whether you are allowed to use it for the purpose you have in mind.
3. Who is accountable?
Every AI use case needs a named business owner — not only IT. That person decides what “good” looks like, approves changes and answers when something goes wrong. Without clear ownership, pilots drift and risks go unmanaged.
4. What are the rules?
Staff are already using public AI tools, often without guidance. A short AI policy should cover which tools are approved, what information must never be entered into them, when a human must review the output, and how mistakes are reported. This protects customers, the company and the staff themselves.
5. Are our people ready?
Teams need practical training, not only awareness sessions — how to write good instructions, how to check results, and when not to rely on AI. Just as important is honest communication about how roles will change.
Where to start
If you answered “not sure” to two or more questions, start with a short readiness assessment rather than a large investment. It gives the leadership team a clear picture and a prioritised roadmap of use cases worth pursuing.
Want an outside view?
Mahdiya runs structured AI readiness assessments and acts as a part-time (virtual) Chief AI Officer for organisations that are not ready for a full-time hire.
Talk to Manzoor