How to Create an AI Vision Statement
As a brand and marketing agency, we get to see under the hoods of lots of organizations, and we get to do that without the bias that comes from working inside of the organization itself.
What we often see when we look at businesses who are struggling to become AI-first is that they do one of two things. They either try to implement too many AI initiatives, or they don’t implement enough.
Either way, the result is the same: frustration.
When it comes to transitioning your business into an AI-first organization, there’s a method to the madness. And that method has an order that needs to be followed.
- Create your AI Council
- Create your AI Policy
- Create Your AI Use Cases and Pilot Projects
- Create Your AI Roadmap
The steps within each of these four main categories may change and diverge depending on the specific nuances of your organization, but the order in which these steps are accomplished shouldn’t.
Creating your AI Council allows you to assign ownership and responsibility to a specific group of people. Your AI Policy, which is created by the AI Council, sets the rules for what is and isn’t permissible.
Your AI Use Case(s), which are developed by your Council within the parameters of your AI Policy, give you real test cases for how well—or how badly—various AI initiatives are working.
When you put all of that together, and codify it with a number of other AI considerations, you’ve created your AI Roadmap.
The AI Roadmap
Designed to be adaptable and updated regularly, your AI Roadmap is a strategic blueprint for transforming your organization into an AI-driven enterprise.
It’s a dynamic, evolving plan that typically looks one-to-two years into the future (anything more than that probably won’t work given the current pace of AI advancement), and documents your approach to identifying, prioritizing, and implementing the AI initiatives that are most likely to drive innovation, operational efficiency, and business growth.
Your AI Roadmap outlines a clear path for integrating AI across all of your various business functions, ensuring that AI continues to evolve as a core component of your organizational strategy.
And while every AI Roadmap will be different, they all share at least one thing in common: a compelling and well-considered AI Vision Statement.
The AI Vision Statement
The AI Vision Statement is the first item that should appear in your AI Roadmap and sets the tone for the rest of the document.
As with your AI Policy and AI Use Cases, your AI Vision Statement is created by your AI Council.
A strong AI vision statement is both inspirational and aspirational, yet clear and concise, focusing on specific objectives that align with your core values.
It should be future-oriented, highlighting unique and differentiating aspects of your AI strategy that are relevant and meaningful to your organization. It also needs to be actionable and achievable.
Here are three examples of AI Vision Statements from three different industries that should help clarify what they are and how they work.
Example 1: Retail Industry
We envision a future where AI-driven insights empower every decision we make, transforming customer experiences into personalized journeys. By leveraging AI across our supply chain, marketing, and customer service, we will create a seamless, anticipatory retail environment that delights customers, optimizes operations, and drives sustainable growth. Our AI strategy will continuously evolve, setting new standards for innovation in the retail industry, while remaining rooted in our commitment to ethical practices and customer trust.
Example 2: Healthcare Industry
Our vision is to revolutionize healthcare through AI, making precision medicine the standard of care for every patient. By integrating AI into diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient management, we aim to deliver personalized, data-driven healthcare that improves outcomes, reduces costs, and enhances the patient experience. Our AI initiatives will not only advance medical research but will also ensure that cutting-edge technology is accessible to all, fostering a future where healthcare is both innovative and equitable.
Example 3: Manufacturing Industry
We are committed to becoming a leader in smart manufacturing by embedding AI into every facet of our operations. Our vision is to build an intelligent, agile production environment that anticipates demand, optimizes resource use, and reduces waste, driving efficiency and innovation across our entire supply chain. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, our AI-driven transformation will create a next-generation manufacturing enterprise that is resilient, sustainable, and a benchmark for the industry.
There’s value in the process
As with many organizational planning functions, much of the value comes from the effort it takes to create the plan itself.
Thinking about your AI Roadmap, wrestling with your AI Vision Statement—the true gift in both of those efforts is the time and intentionality you put into thinking about how your business will reinvent itself with AI.
Rather than sitting back and waiting to see what happens, you’re taking a proactive role in shaping your organization’s future.
You’re casting a vision and making a statement about it.
Which is exactly how transformative change begins.
