Geotab CEO: Companies must adopt AI quickly to avoid falling behind

Companies that hesitate to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) risk falling significantly behind their competitors, according to Geotab CEO Neil Cawse. He asserts that swift and widespread AI adoption must be a priority to ensure future success in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Cawse likens AI adoption to a critical business transformation, suggesting that organizations leveraging AI can improve decision-making, boost productivity, and operate more efficiently. Rather than aiming for a perfect, risk-averse rollout, Geotab implemented its own AI tool, GIA, for its 3,400 employees in a single day.

Geotab's approach to AI adoption prioritized speed and direct employee access. The company provided all employees, regardless of technical or non-technical roles, with immediate access to a secure AI gateway. This facilitated rapid learning and experimentation, leading to a 97% daily active rate within the first week.

Cawse shared six key lessons learned from the AI rollout: Be the first adopter, make the first step simple, communicate clearly and continuously, measure output not usage, set up guardrails, and do it before you feel ready. He stressed that waiting for a perfect solution only leads to a loss of competitive edge in a fast-changing world.