Is your cloud infrastructure AI-ready?

The importance of AI-readiness in modern business 

AI technology is empowering businesses around the world, making it a must-have tool to stay competitive in your chosen industry. Ensuring you are ready for AI will allow you to take full advantage of its benefits, including:

• Increased productivity: Productivity and efficiency are key to success in the global market, and artificial intelligence boosts both immensely. Automation is one of the key AI technologies, letting you automate repetitive tasks and free up resources for more strategic work.
• Enhanced decision-making: Using artificial intelligence to analyse vast amounts of data and develop insights can help you make more informed decisions in the long run and predict future trends and outcomes.
• Competitive advantage: AI can bolster your innovation, giving you an edge over your competitors. However, this is a double-edged sword, as ignoring the onset of AI can lead to you falling behind your competitors.

Making sure you’re ready to implement AI into your business is vital, as it will enable you to hit the ground running and succeed in the long run.

A Cloud platform for AI-readiness 

Cost efficiency 

Migrating to a cost-effective cloud platform will reduce the initial and long-term costs of AI implementation. An AI-ready platform, such as Microsoft Azure, is ideal as cost-effectiveness is foremost.

Flexibility and scalability 

Lack of scalability is a common challenge for on-premises infrastructures, so you need to ensure you’re cloud infrastructure is scalable and can accommodate business expansion. After all, AI and growth go together, and being able to scale accordingly will mean success in the long-term.

Enhanced innovation 

Be a forward thinker in a world of retrospective ones. Plan for long-term success using AI, and make sure you’re looking to the future when implementing AI into your business. For example, find ways to use AI technology, such as machine learning, to gain competitive advantage and boost your business performance.

Key components of an AI-ready data strategy 

Data collection and management 

AI runs on data, which means collecting and managing your data effectively is essential. This includes thoroughly checking all data to ensure it’s compatible with an AI-enabled infrastructure by tagging properly and making sure you standardise formats and metadata throughout your systems. With access to the right data, AI tools such as Copilot for Microsoft 365 can thrive.

Data security and compliance 

Data security is vital for success when implementing AI into your cloud infrastructure. As with data management, data security will ensure your data remains wholly secure and doesn’t become compromised or corrupted. With data that has been corrupted or even a dataset that’s been poisoned, your AI success may turn into a catastrophe.

Following best practice will ensure AI works for your business and complies with data storage regulations. Data breaches can result in penalties including fines and even litigation.

Integration with existing systems 

Your existing systems will need to be checked and prepared for AI implementation. By doing so, you’ll be able to take full advantage of AI and important features, such as automation and advanced data analytics and management, as well as generative AI, such as Copilot for Microsoft 365.

How we can help 

If you want to make sure your business is AI-ready and need a helping hand along the way, reach out to Extech Cloud today. Our experts are here to help and will ensure a smooth transition to cloud-based AI.

Get in touch with us now for advice and guidance to ensure a successful, seamless implementation.