14 May 2025
AI Step by Step: How to Get Real Business Value with Netum
What happens after the AI hype? According to Netum’s Chief AI Officer Jani Henriksson, too many organizations jump into artificial intelligence with technical ambition, but without a strategic foundation. In this episode of the MPD Q, A & I podcast, Henriksson breaks down what it really takes to move from idea to execution, and from pilot to measurable business value.
The conversation begins with a critical question: “Have you prepared for what AI truly means for your business in 1, 2, or 5 years?” While many organizations are intrigued by AI’s potential, Henriksson points out that most still overestimate short-term impact and underestimate long-term transformation. The result: AI initiatives remain siloed and disconnected from the core value chain.
“Whatever you are doing, consider the value chain. How you are providing value to the customers or to the employees that are doing the actual work,” says Henriksson.
Why AI Fails, and How to Fix It
Drawing from Netum’s consulting and software development experience, Henriksson emphasizes that 80% of AI pilots never reach production. Why? Often, it’s not the technology but rather data quality, unclear goals, or lack of organizational readiness that disrupts progress.
He advises companies to avoid AI theatre and, rather than targeting core processes first, to identify use cases that improve operational efficiency or create entirely new business value. Supporting functions such as internal support, quoting, and customer service are often good places to start, offering low-risk, high-impact opportunities for LLMs and automation tools.
“You can give your own documentation, like some instructions or intranet topics or whatever, to the bot, and it can find and conclude pretty good answers and also refer always to the documentation, which kind of makes the hallucination less problematic,” Henriksson says.
From Point Solutions to Strategy
AI tools shouldn’t stay in isolated pilots. Henriksson calls for system-level thinking, integrating point solutions into broader workflows with real end-to-end value. That includes linking AI to ERP systems, quoting tools, material cost estimates, and more. But integration isn’t just technical, it requires change management, user buy-in, and leadership clarity about ambition.
“Include those people who are really motivated, interested, perhaps have some kind of ambassador or champion program to get these small wins, share those wins with other colleagues,” Henriksson says.
The path forward, according to Henriksson, isn’t a moonshot. It’s a deliberate, step-by-step progression grounded in organizational learning and real-world feedback. The companies that succeed don’t treat AI as a one-off tech investment; they treat it as a core part of how they rethink operations, productivity, and future competitiveness.
The MPD Q, A & I podcast series, part of the Manufacturing Performance Days, dives deep into the role of AI in creating new digital business models, advancing technologies, and leading sustainable transformation. Through candid conversations with leading professionals at the forefront of AI transformation, the series offers listeners first-hand insights into the future of AI-powered manufacturing.
Find the full episode on
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/17oopfhhEDelcjoR7D75GX?si=p4jzLK8vRzG9MaaS1Nybyg
Apple Podcasts