Putting Artificial Intelligence to Work

Setting up the data-to-action process is hard work. Companies cannot effectively buy it in the marketplace, and those that try to avoid the work or take shortcuts will be disappointed. The MIT Sloan Management Review article, which BCG co-authored, cites one pharma executive who described the products and services that AI vendors provide as "very young children." The vendors "require us to give them tons of information to allow them to learn," he said, reflecting his frustration. "The amount of effort it takes to get the AI-based service to age 17 or 18 or 21 does not appear worth it yet. We believe the juice is not worth the squeeze."