IBM Executive Warns of AI Scaling Challenges

Velma Amondi, Country and Technology Leader at IBM East Africa, has observed that many organisations are struggling to move from pilot projects to large-scale AI adoption. In an interview with CIO Africa, she noted that this is often due to a lack of clear business goals, trusted data, and governance.

Amondi explained that successful AI implementation requires a strong foundation, including access to trusted data, clear governance, and accountability across the organisation. She also emphasized the importance of leadership commitment, stating that AI transformation cannot be owned by the technology team alone.

According to Amondi, organisations that scale AI successfully are those that rethink workflows, decision-making, and governance, rather than simply layering AI onto existing processes. This requires a fundamental shift in how work is done, with people and AI agents working together across functions.

watsonx, IBM's platform for enterprise AI, is designed to help organisations move from experimentation to production by providing capabilities for building, deploying, and governing AI, as well as preparing and managing enterprise data.