AI isn’t just hype. It’s reshaping industries, shifting customer expectations, and changing how businesses operate. As you plan for FY25, the question is no longer whether you’re using AI. It’s whether your business has a clear, deliberate position on it.

You don’t need to jump into every new tool. However, you must demonstrate to your team, customers, and stakeholders that you’re paying attention and thinking critically about the intersection of business strategy and AI.

The Three Default Positions Companies Fall Into

Most businesses are falling into one of three camps when it comes to AI:

1. Proactive Adopters

These companies are already experimenting. They’re testing tools, talking to vendors, and encouraging staff to explore what’s possible. They’re not always sure of the ROI, but they’re learning fast. For them, the value lies in the experimentation itself – they’re building internal capability, understanding the risks, and developing informed opinions through action. Even if not every project succeeds, the momentum gives them an edge.

2. Passive Observers

These leaders are watching, waiting and researching. They’re interested, but cautious, often limited by budget, team capacity or competing priorities. But in the meantime, competitors may be gaining ground. While there’s wisdom in waiting for the right use case, businesses in this category should still be setting internal frameworks to evaluate opportunities, so they’re ready to move when the moment is right.

3. Defensive Sceptics

These businesses are actively holding off. Whether it’s risk management, data privacy concerns or past tech fatigue, they’re opting out for now. This position is often driven by genuine caution, but without a plan to revisit that stance, it can harden into inertia. Being sceptical of hype is sensible; rejecting AI outright without periodic reassessment is not.

Here’s the thing: none of these approaches are wrong. But failing to define and communicate your position leads to confusion. Internally, your team won’t know where the business stands. Externally, customers might assume you’re behind the curve. Inaction isn’t neutral; it’s still a choice. And without clarity, your business strategy involving AI remains undefined.

Why Having a Defined Position Matters

Even if you’re not ready to implement AI in your operations, setting a stance helps you lead with clarity and intention. It influences:

Tech Investment and Vendor Decisions

With a clear AI position, you can assess new platforms with a consistent lens. You’ll avoid wasting time on solutions that don’t align with your priorities. Whether you’re prioritising automation, customer insights, or operational efficiency, your position acts as a filter, allowing you to ask better questions, negotiate more effectively, and avoid misalignment in your tech stack.

Internal Culture and Upskilling

Your stance shapes how your team thinks about AI. Are you encouraging curiosity? Or creating a wait-and-see environment?  A defined position helps shape a culture of curiosity rather than confusion. It gives employees permission to learn, experiment, or stay focused, depending on your strategic direction.

Customer and Stakeholder Expectations

AI is already on the minds of clients, investors, and partners. Even if no one is explicitly asking, many are quietly observing how businesses respond. A clearly articulated position, whether progressive, cautious, or selectively experimental, builds trust by showing that you’re thinking critically and intentionally. It also ensures consistency across marketing, sales, and leadership communications.

Strategic Alignment

AI is not a siloed conversation for IT teams. It impacts how products are built, how services are delivered, and how decisions are made. When your business has a shared understanding of your AI stance, departments across the organisation can align their planning accordingly. It becomes a strategic input, something considered in board meetings, budget cycles, hiring decisions, and long-term growth plans.

How to Craft a Thoughtful AI Stance

This isn’t about building a full AI strategy. It’s about creating a foundation for future decisions. Here are four questions to help define your position:

• Where could AI reduce friction in your business?
  Think about admin, content creation, customer service or operations.
  
• What risks are you not willing to take?
  Define your red lines, whether it’s around privacy, brand voice or accuracy.
  
• Who is responsible for monitoring AI developments?
  Assign ownership. It doesn’t need to be a new role, but someone should be across what’s changing.
  
• How do you talk about AI with your customers and stakeholders?
  Set the tone now before you’re asked.
  

A clear position won’t lock you in, but it will help anchor your business strategy around AI as it evolves. Make it part of your FY25 conversations.

Lead With Clarity (Even If You’re Not Ready to Adopt)

AI adoption isn’t just about tools. It’s about leadership. Your FY25 strategy doesn’t need to include AI projects. But it does need to acknowledge the technology’s growing influence.

When you set a clear position, you lead with confidence. You give your team direction. And you show your customers that your business isn’t ignoring what’s next.

Wherever you sit on the AI spectrum, curious, cautious, or committed, clarity is key. Arcadian Digital provides practical AI consulting to help you define your position and move forward with purpose.

If you’re ready to start the conversation, get in touch with us today.