The Crawl, Walk, Run Approach: A Thoughtful Path to GenAI Success

In the rush to adopt generative AI, it’s easy to get swept up in the hype—promises of instant productivity, automated workflows, and transformative business outcomes. But the true value of GenAI emerges not from speed, but from clarity and purpose. The “crawl, walk, run” approach offers a pragmatic, responsible path for organizations ready to harness GenAI’s potential.

Crawl: Start with Curiosity and Clarity

Every successful GenAI journey begins with a question: What real problems are we trying to solve? Too often, organizations leap into AI adoption driven by marketing or fear of missing out, rather than a clear understanding of their own pain points. The crawl phase is about slowing down, listening to your teams, and identifying the top challenges that, if solved, would unlock meaningful value—whether that’s reducing costs, improving customer satisfaction, or accelerating growth. As discussed in our fireside chat, speed is not a substitute for direction; clarity is the foundation for responsible innovation. 3:05

Walk: Pilot, Validate, and Learn

Once you’ve defined the problem, the next step is to experiment thoughtfully. This is the walk phase—where you pilot GenAI solutions in targeted areas, measure their impact, and learn from the results. The goal isn’t to automate everything overnight, but to augment human capabilities and free up time for higher-value work. For example, a leading manufacturer saved over $1.5 million annually by deploying an AI agent to support customer service reps—not by replacing them, but by empowering them with instant access to information and reducing onboarding time. Their success was rooted in a deep understanding of the user experience and a commitment to measuring what matters. 11:37

Run: Scale with Purpose and Responsibility

Validated pilots pave the way for broader adoption. But scaling GenAI isn’t just about rolling out more tools—it’s about building the right foundation. Clean, accessible data is essential; without it, even the best AI will falter. Equally important is defining clear roles for AI and humans, setting guardrails for responsible use, and investing in change management to ensure your teams are empowered, not displaced. The run phase is where GenAI becomes an invisible, invaluable part of your business—enabling your people to focus on creativity, strategy, and growth. 25:19

Innovate Responsibly for Long-Term Success

The crawl, walk, run approach isn’t about moving slowly—it’s about moving wisely. By starting with curiosity, validating with pilots, and scaling with purpose, organizations can unlock GenAI’s transformative potential while avoiding common pitfalls. Responsible adoption ensures that GenAI augments human ingenuity, drives measurable value, and becomes a trusted partner in your journey toward innovation.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Michael Green, a principal consultant at Hitachi Solutions, about this very topic. You can watch his take below and the full converstion by clicking here.

Please reach out to us with any questions you may have. I’d love to keep this conversation going.