PART 2: 5 More Truths About AI

Congratulations! You’ve made it through the first five essential truths about AI that every businessperson (or aspiring one) needs to know. If you happened to skip ahead (no judgment here), you can always catch up by reading the first part here. The great news is you’ve shown some serious resilience—that’s a crucial skill when working with AI! So, buckle up and let’s dive back in! 

AI solutions should be built with the future in mind (honestly, this is true for standard apps too). What works for your business today might not be sufficient as you grow, so it’s important to plan for scalability from the outset. What do I mean by this? 

• Growth Projections: Consider how your business might expand in the next 3 to 5 years. Will your AI business solution be able to handle an increased load, more complex tasks, or new data sources? Building flexibility and scalability into your AI infrastructure can save you from costly overhauls down the line. Cloud vendors are big on automation for AI and MLOps practices these days; make sure you choose a cloud partner that is well-versed and can advise truthfully.  

• Modular Design: Wherever possible, opt for a modular design in your AI systems. This allows you to add or replace components as needed without having to rebuild the entire system. For example, as we were working on Abby’s AI voice assistant, we realized that our prompts were going to get extremely long and hard to manage in the long run. Funny thing is that with such long prompts, if you change something somewhere – you affect logic in an unpredicted way, so AI starts misfunctioning. To avoid this, we wanted to isolate functionality to give our client a better chance to scale in the future; we went with a multi-agent design. Now each agent is a Node in a workflow and works independently, communicating back and forth with other agents.

Key takeaway: Think long-term. Build your AI solutions with scalability in mind to accommodate future growth and changing business needs. 

AI is not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. Your AI models will need to be retrained periodically to ensure they remain accurate and relevant. This is especially true if your business operates in a fast-changing environment where new data is constantly being generated. Check out what will be needed on a regular basis: 

• Ongoing Maintenance: Just like any software, AI requires ongoing maintenance. This includes monitoring performance, updating algorithms, and retraining models with new data. Neglecting this aspect can lead to outdated AI models that no longer serve your business effectively. 

• Data Refresh: As your business evolves, so does your data. To keep your AI performing optimally, you’ll need to continually refresh your data inputs and retrain your models accordingly. This ensures that your AI is making decisions based on the most current and relevant information available. 

Choosing the right partner for this ongoing process is vital. AI is a long-term commitment, and having a reliable partner can make all the difference in ensuring your AI continues to deliver value. 

Key takeaway: AI requires regular attention and maintenance. Be prepared to invest in ongoing updates and retraining to keep your AI models performing at their best. 

When you first receive your AI prototype, don’t expect it to work perfectly right out of the box. The initial version you get will be exactly like any prototype ever created—raw, and there will be a lot of back-and-forth to refine it into an MVP. 

• Prototyping Phase: The first iteration of your AI will serve as proof of concept. It’s an opportunity to test the waters and identify areas that need improvement. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t meet all your expectations initially—that’s normal. The goal of this phase is to gather feedback and make adjustments. For instance, the first prototype of our internal RMT AI Assistant used to take 1+ minutes to respond to any query. It actually took us less than that to find most of that information on our own in the application manually (not great for ROI). On the other hand, it could aggregate data much better than we ever could manually, so we pressed on to reduce the latency considerably in the final beta version to below 30 seconds.  

• Iterative Development: AI development is an iterative process. Expect multiple rounds of testing, tweaking, and refining before you arrive at a solution that meets your needs. This could involve adjusting the model, changing the data inputs, or even revising the underlying algorithms. To be honest, I have no idea how our AI Engineers tweak a model’s parameters; it’s not my area of expertise, but you can read more about it in this article. 

Key takeaway: Be patient and stay engaged throughout the development process. The final product will be much better for it. 

AI isn’t a quick fix—it’s a strategic investment that will impact your business for years to come. As AI becomes more integral to our lives, its cost will likely decrease for some aspects, such as hardware and basic AI tools. However, the complexity and cost of cutting-edge, bespoke AI solutions might remain high or even increase over time. Here are some things to consider for the long run: 

• Industry Transformation: AI is set to reshape industries across the board. Companies that adapt to these changes will thrive, while those that don’t may struggle to keep up. Investing in AI now can position your business to be a leader in this transformation. 

• Futureproofing: By investing in AI today, you’re not just solving current problems—you’re future-proofing your business. AI will become increasingly essential as time goes on, and those who are ahead of the curve will have a significant advantage. 

Key takeaway: Think of AI as a long-term investment. It may take time to see the full benefits, but it will pay off in the future as the industry evolves. 

If you’re still on the fence about whether to jump on the AI bandwagon, it’s normal to have doubts. The field is still maturing and dynamic. But one thing is clear—AI is here to stay, and it will play a significant role in the future of business. Here’s how to start clearing up your head about it, though: 

• ROI Consideration: If you have a clear ROI plan, don’t hesitate—your competitors won’t. AI can provide a competitive edge, streamline operations, and open up new opportunities for growth. However, if you’re unsure, it’s worth consulting with experts to evaluate your options before making a decision. 

• Get a Free Consultation: At Scopic, we offer free consultation to help you assess the potential of AI for your business. This allows you to make an informed decision without any financial commitment upfront. You can schedule your free consultation here. 

Key takeaway: If you have a clear path to ROI, go for it. If you’re unsure, consult with experts and get a proposal before making a move. AI is here to stay, and the sooner you start exploring its potential, the better positioned you’ll be for the future.

Final remarks

AI is a powerful tool, but like any tool, its effectiveness depends on how you use it. As you consider AI for your business, keep these truths in mind and approach AI with a clear perspective.  

At Scopic, we believe in transparency and honesty, and we’re here to support you on your AI journey—not just as a vendor, but as a partner in your success. I hope you have found this article useful and that it has fulfilled the goal I set in the very beginning! 

AI consulting services help businesses create tailored AI solutions that address their industry-specific challenges. With custom AI development services, you can improve customer satisfaction, increase efficiency, and foster innovation. 

Schedule a call with us today to learn how your business can benefit from AI.