AI Without the Hype: How to Make It Work in the Real World
AI is everywhere.
From boardroom conversations to product roadmaps, businesses are under growing pressure to adopt it quickly. But amid all the hype, many are still asking the same question: where does AI actually create value?
In this episode of the Sonin //Podcast, Greg Reygate steps in front of the camera to speak with Paul Jarrett about how businesses should approach AI in practice and why the best results come from treating it like any other digital initiative.
The conversation explores the growing temptation to bolt AI into every product, process and project, often without first defining the problem it is meant to solve.
As Paul explains, that is where many businesses go wrong.
The starting point should not be the technology itself. It should be the business objective, the operational challenge, or the customer need that requires a better solution.
Paul and Greg discuss where AI is already delivering meaningful gains, from customer service and reporting to internal workflows, prototyping and automation, while also unpacking why so many AI projects struggle to gain traction.
The episode explores:
- Why AI should start with a problem, not a platform
- Where businesses are seeing practical value from AI today
- Why training and team adoption matter as much as integration
- How AI can free people up to focus on higher-value work
Ultimately, the message is clear: AI is not a shortcut to value on its own.
Like any technology, it works best when applied with purpose, clarity and a real understanding of the problem it needs to solve.