Avanade, the leading Microsoft solutions provider, today unveils new services to help clients address the pressing challenge to ready their people, processes, and technologies for artificial intelligence (AI). Avanade’s new services will enable leaders to assess and monitor multiple business and IT domains to prioritise actions, so they can responsibly harness the benefits of AI.

As generative AI technology continues to transform the way we work, live and conduct business in every part of the world and in every industry, expectations are growing exponentially. Avanade’s Trendlines research reveals that 85 percent of organisations expect AI to increase revenue growth by 2025, with more than two-thirds anticipating AI to be responsible for up to 16 percent growth in global annual revenue. All this points to lucrative rewards for those that seize the growth opportunities of AI now.

However, the research also indicates organisations are not ready. Trendlines shows that only 36 percent of business and IT leaders are completely confident that their organisation currently has sufficient checks and balances in place to mitigate the potential risks and harms of AI. Meanwhile, nearly half (48 percent) admit to not having specific guidelines and/or policies put into effect yet for responsible AI.

Avanade's new services have been designed to expedite business value derived from AI while cultivating an AI-first mindset:

• The Avanade AI Organisational Readiness Framework provides a comprehensive assessment of an organisation's business and IT areas. It offers detailed insights into AI readiness across people, processes, and technologies, enabling leaders to prioritise responsible actions for leveraging AI's benefits. The service includes executive coaching, tailored employee training, and an innovative "AI control tower" with cloud-based tools, dashboards, and knowledge resources. This ensures continuous AI readiness and empowers leaders to monitor and take real-time actions.
• The Avanade AI Governance Quick Start Service addresses the crucial requirement for responsible AI governance. It enables leaders to translate corporate values into guidelines and practices for governing the ethical use of AI. With a strong framework and methodology, organisations can proactively assess risks in AI projects and enhance their existing business and IT governance processes, policies, and behaviours to effectively manage and reduce AI risks across all functions.

Jillian Moore, Global Head of Advisory at Avanade, explains, “There is no end point to AI readiness. As generative AI continues to reshape the global business landscape, the importance of adopting an AI-first mindset cannot be overstated. To seize the growth opportunities of AI and mitigate risks for unintended consequences through continual change, leaders need to consider more than the technology implications of AI. Ultimately, AI-first is people-first.”

Dan McMahon, Regional Advisory Lead, Avanade Australia, says, “With the new services we’ve launched today, Avanade is well-positioned to help organisations do what matters in adopting an AI-first mindset. Generative AI is revolutionising the way we do business, the experiences of customers and our people; and by blending human ingenuity with AI, organisations can transform complex tasks, deliver on the promise of personalisation, and unlock new levels of innovation. Embracing an AI-first mindset involves a healthy balance of evaluating, improving your ability to execute, and embracing responsible use of AI to address potential risks and appropriate safeguards – and Avanade is prepared to help our clients navigate each of these elements.”

Avanade is working with PageGroup on augmenting its workforce capabilities through the power of generative AI: “The real power of AI is how it can supercharge the vast knowledge and experience of our people,” said Alex Bates, Managing Director, Group Data, Insights and Activation at PageGroup. “It’s helpful to have a framework to help us to learn fast, so we can prioritise actions that enable our people with AI and harness the business value of the technology in a secure and transparent way.”

These new services compliment Avanade's existing portfolio of generative AI strategy workshops, with options ranging from a 2-hour workshop to a 6-week strategy proof of concept engagement.