From Pilot to Production: Unlocking AI Value Fast

Microsoft Innovation Podcast

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1d ago 34:10

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👉 Full Show Notes
https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/739

AI is reshaping enterprise tech, but success depends on more than tools, it requires clear use cases, strategic adoption, and continuous learning. Tina Van Heerden and Tomas Gold share hard-won insights from Microsoft’s internal AI programs and customer engagements, revealing what drives real transformation and what stalls it.
🎙️ What you’ll learn

How to move AI projects from pilot to production
Why clear use cases drive adoption and ROI
How to experiment with AI tools to boost productivity
What roles AI won’t replace and how to lean into them
How to build personal workflows with agents and automation

✅ Highlights:

“A magic wand is just a stick if you don’t have a good spell.”
“Your biggest competitor is someone better at using AI.”
“Keeping up with change is now a core part of everyone’s job.”
“We realised it’s not an AI problem, it’s a Power Automate solution.”
“AI is very good at specific tasks, but not at trust or ethics.”
“The number one lesson: identify the value of your use case.”
“Experimenting with AI teaches you what not to automate.”
“We interviewed architects after 1000 customer conversations.”
“AI doesn’t care if it hurts you, it gives honest feedback.”
“The most adaptable to change will be the winners.”
“Speaking to Copilot instead of typing changed my workflow.”
“Customers get stuck in pilot land due to lack of planning.”

🧰 Mentioned:

Adoption and dragons: The Alchemy of AI Adoption - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/adoption-dragons-alchemy-ai-tina-van-heerden-h4xue?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via
Microsoft Copilot - https://copilot.microsoft.com/
Power Automate - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-automate/

✅ Keywords:
copilot, ai adoption, power platform, automation, business process, microsoft, agents, experimentation, productivity, governance, enterprise tech, change management

Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoption

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If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.
Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Chapters

1. From Pilot to Production: Unlocking AI Value Fast (00:00:00)

2. Welcome & Global Introductions (00:00:01)

3. Inside Microsoft’s CSU Pacesetters Programme (00:03:32)

4. AI Projects That Deliver Real Value (00:07:40)

5. The Shift to AI Business Processes (00:09:38)

6. From Shiny Tools to Strategic Adoption (00:12:38)

7. The Future of Work: Augment or Fall Behind (00:18:32)

8. Personal AI Use Cases That Actually Work (00:29:00)

739 episodes

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