What your organisation needs to consider before implementing an AI platform

AI is already in your business. Whether it’s powering your email spam filters, providing recommendations in your CRM, or running behind the scenes in your cybersecurity tools, chances are you’re using AI in some form.  

 There are serious ethical, security, and privacy considerations in using AI platforms and it is essential that leaders take an active interest in setting the guidelines for appropriate use. 

 Introducing AI on a larger scale requires more than just switching on a new tool. Without the right foundations, AI can create more problems than it solves. Poor data quality leads to inaccurate predictions, security gaps leave businesses exposed to threats, and without clear goals, AI initiatives risk becoming expensive experiments with little return. So, what do organisations need to do before rolling out an AI platform?  

1. Get clear on what AI is solving 

AI works best when it has a well-defined job to do. It’s tempting to adopt AI because competitors are doing it or because it sounds like the next logical step in digital transformation. But AI isn’t a magic bullet, it needs a purpose. 

 Before jumping in, your organisation should ask: What problem are we solving? Are we trying to speed up customer service? Reduce fraud? Improve forecasting? AI should align with broader business goals, not exist as a standalone experiment. Once there’s a clear use case, it’s easier to define success metrics, choose the right platform and measure impact.

2. Check your data readiness 

AI is only as good as the data it learns from. If the data is incomplete, outdated, or full of errors, AI decisions will be too. Many organisations struggle with data that’s trapped in silos across different departments, making it hard to get a full picture. 

A good first step is a data audit: understanding where your data lives, how clean it is, and whether it’s structured in a way AI can use. As AI relies on vast amounts of information, much of it sensitive, this also means ensuring compliance with privacy laws like GDPR or Aotearoa’s Privacy Act 2020, which governs the collection, storage and use of personal information.  

3. Strengthen security and compliance 

AI systems process and store vast amounts of business and customer data, making them attractive targets for cyber threats. Before rolling out AI, your business should review your security infrastructure. Are there safeguards in place to protect sensitive data? Are access controls tight enough to prevent misuse? And just as importantly, does the organisation fully understand the legal and ethical obligations that come with AI-driven decision-making? 

4. Consider the ethics of AI 

Before deploying AI, assess whether ethical risks have been considered and develop guidelines to ensure transparency, fairness and accountability.  

In Aotearoa, public service organisations are encouraged to align with the OECD AI Principles, which set the direction for the safe and responsible use of AI. The framework promotes AI as a tool to enhance efficiency, responsiveness, and performance in public services while managing risks and maintaining public trust and confidence. A key focus is a human-centric approach, ensuring that AI solutions put people at the forefront of design and implementation. 

The OECD AI Principles outline key areas that all organisations, public or private, can consider as best practice when adopting AI: 

• Inclusive growth & human well-being – AI should benefit society and contribute to economic and social progress. 

• Fairness and transparency – AI models should be explainable, understandable, and free from discrimination or bias. 

• Robustness & security – AI should be technically sound and resilient to misuse or errors. 

• Accountability – Clear governance structures should define who is responsible for AI-driven decisions. 

• Sustainability – AI should be developed and used in ways that respect privacy, human rights, and the environment. 

The Privacy Commissioner also recommends engaging with Māori to consider Te Ao Māori perspectives in the collection of data. AI Forum New Zealand has prepared Trustworthy AI Principles, intended to provide a guide for the development and use of AI in Aotearoa. 

We’ve also previously shared more about ethics, etiquette and disclosure when using AI tools in the workplace with more tips on how we can collectively ensure use of AI is safe, considerate and conscious of others. 

5. Prepare your people for change 

One of the biggest barriers to successful AI implementation isn’t the technology itself, but how people respond to it. Employees may worry about job security, struggle to trust AI-driven decisions, or simply not understand how to work alongside it. 

To avoid resistance, focus on AI literacy. This doesn’t mean turning every employee into a data scientist, but ensuring that your people understand what AI is, what it can (and can’t) do, and how it will impact their roles. IT teams will need deeper technical knowledge, while leadership should communicate why AI is being introduced and how it benefits both employees and customers. 

6. Start small, test, and refine 

AI is best introduced in stages. Instead of rolling it out company-wide, start with a small-scale pilot where it can be tested in a controlled environment. Monitor how well it performs, identify any unintended consequences, and make adjustments before scaling up. 

Testing also helps teams get comfortable working with AI, giving them time to adapt before it becomes a core part of operations. AI models improve with time and learning, so ongoing refinement is key. 

7. Choose the right AI partner 

The right AI partner will offer more than just a product, they’ll provide ongoing support and a solution that grows with the business. AI Forum New Zealand provides free AI Procurement Guides, which are designed to support you through decision-making when adopting or procuring AI solutions. 

Otherwise, if you’re thinking about AI for your organisation but wondering whether you’re prepared, reach out to chat with us, and we can provide a more comprehensive evaluation and recommendations based on your business needs.