AI Doesn’t Break Organizations. It Reveals Where They’re Already Broken.

Core Insights - Companies often misidentify their issues as AI problems, when in fact, they are organizational problems that AI highlights [1][20] - The lack of ownership in the gaps between departments leads to significant operational risks and failures [6][14] Organizational Gaps - IT focuses on security and performance but does not verify the accuracy of the information provided [5] - Content teams ensure brand voice and clarity but lack access to verify AI's use of content [5] - Compliance frameworks are outdated and do not account for dynamic AI outputs, leading to unaddressed risks [6] Consequences of Unmanaged Gaps - Examples of failures include Air Canada's chatbot misinforming customers, leading to legal liabilities [7] - DPD's chatbot caused brand damage by using inappropriate language due to unverified source files [8] - McDonald's AI placed incorrect orders, resulting in operational chaos and customer dissatisfaction [9] Internal Risks - Internal systems are also affected by the same gaps, leading to misinterpretations in compliance reports and financial summaries [10][11] - AI can amplify existing errors, presenting misleading information as authoritative [12] Structural Issues - The problem is structural, with no single entity responsible for the intersections of IT, content, and compliance [14] - AI operates in the gaps where these departments meet, making it crucial to address these overlaps [14] Recommendations for Improvement - Treat unstructured content as critical infrastructure and assign ownership to all documents [16] - Implement restrictions on AI access to documents without designated owners [17] - Establish automated systems to remove outdated content, similar to software updates [18] - Designate a team or individual responsible for managing the gaps between departments [19] - Integrate confidence thresholds in AI systems to prevent incorrect outputs [19] Strategic Implications - Organizations must prioritize governance before developing AI strategies to avoid exacerbating existing issues [20] - Mapping and assigning ownership of gaps is essential to prevent costly operational failures [21]