

CDO Matters Ep. 85 | AI Adoption: Hype, Reality, and What Most Leaders Still Don’t Get
Sep 19, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Ron Green, CTO and co-founder of KungFu.AI, sheds light on the complexities of AI adoption. He highlights three crucial phases where companies can achieve the highest ROI, shifting from product-led requests to CEO-driven initiatives. Ron explains the significance of proprietary data as a competitive edge, exemplified by a loan-factoring case. He also tackles common pitfalls in moving from proof of concepts to production and offers insights on making data AI-ready while addressing bias. Dive into the realities of AI beyond the hype!
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Proprietary Data Drives Real AI ROI
- Proprietary company data yields the largest AI ROI compared with generic models or open data.
- Use your unique records to enable automation, prediction, or product features competitors cannot easily copy.
AI Adoption Has Entered A Balanced Phase
- AI adoption passed hype and is settling into a balanced phase between narrow ML and generative AI.
- Real value emerges when AI augments workflows or leverages historical data for prediction.
AI Demand Is C-Suite Driven
- CEO-driven AI demand is now common and often lacks precise requirements beyond 'do AI.'
- That C-suite push forces organizations to combine strategy, roadmapping, and technical execution quickly.