Client Zero: Treating IBM as a Lab

As Head of IBM Consulting, Mohamad Ali led one of the most ambitious enterprise AI transformations to date. By making IBM its own “Client Zero,” his team tested every AI solution internally before bringing it to market. The effort began with massive hackathons involving 150,000 employees, turning curiosity into capability and belief at scale. 

Mohamad shares how leadership alignment, process redesign, and broad employee engagement drove $3.5 billion in cost savings and renewed growth. Jeremy and Henrik reflect on why IBM’s model may signal the next evolution of consulting — where organizations act as their own laboratories for change

Key Takeaways:

• Start with Yourself: “Client Zero” Works
  IBM transformed internally before advising clients, using its own systems as a testing ground. This allowed the team to validate AI tools, workflows, and cultural shifts in real conditions, creating credibility and clarity before going to market.
• Transformation Needs More Than Tech
  Success came from a mix of technical leadership, process redesign, and cultural momentum. AI wasn’t just layered on; it was embedded into workflows, backed by leadership buy-in, and powered by 150,000 employees who participated in company-wide hackathons.
• Digital Labor Is Reshaping Business Models
  IBM automated most transactional HR tasks with AI tools like AskHR, driving a 40% reduction in HR operating costs — a look at how hybrid human–AI teams transform services.
  Measure and Share the Impact
  Transformation became real when IBM tied outcomes to business metrics. By reporting $3.5 billion dollars in savings and tracking results with the CFO, IBM showed how to make AI adoption tangible, accountable, and visible to both employees and investors.

LinkedIn: Mohamad Ali - IBM | LinkedIn
IBM: IBM

00:00 Intro: HR Automation
00:41 Introduction of Mohamed Ali and IBM's Transformation
01:14 IBM's Enterprise Transformation
01:41 The Role of AI in IBM's Success
03:25 Rejoining IBM: A Strategic Decision
04:33 Key Components of AI Implementation
07:21 Employee Engagement and Hackathons
08:59 Technical Leadership and AI
10:37 Global Tax Optimization with AI
11:17 Scaling AI Solutions for Clients
22:00 Monetizing Digital Labor
26:50 Digital Labor and Procurement Projects
27:29 Unbundling and Economic Implications
28:44 Technological Shifts and Market Expansion
30:04 AI-Powered Business Transformations
32:22 Case Study: L'Oreal's AI Integration
39:13 HR Automation and Cost Reduction
42:09 Creative Innovations in AI Applications
43:59 Advice for Leaders on AI Integration
45:43 Final thoughts

📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of How IBM Used AI to Cut 40% of HR Operating Costs and Reinvest in the Company |

For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:

Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelin
Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley

Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.