How can Norwegian businesses adopt artificial intelligence – and how can they avoid making bad investments? After holding over 100 meetings with companies about AI adoption, we at Computas have noticed a clear pattern: those who succeed are the ones who dare to test, learn, and adjust along the way. AI is not a ready-made solution you simply install – it’s like learning to swim. You have to jump in, test what works, and adapt as you go.
AI Development in 2024: How Artificial Intelligence Transformed Businesses
2024 was the year when AI moved from being a hype to becoming a real part of everyday life for an increasing number of businesses and users. We saw major changes in the market:
- AI models became faster, smarter, and more accurate
- More businesses adopted AI assistants in both back-office and customer-facing processes
- The EU and USA took significant regulatory actions
Most leaders are aware of AI trends, but many are uncertain about how to move from theory to practice. In our meetings with companies, we have observed that they often fall into one of three categories:
- Those standing at the edge of the pool, watching others swim
- Those who have dipped their toes in and are testing the waters
- Those who have jumped in and are learning to swim
Why Do Businesses Struggle to Get Started with AI?
Many businesses want to explore artificial intelligence, but many hold back. The most common reasons we hear are:
- Low willingness to invest in a tough market – AI is not prioritized when budgets are cut due to tough market conditions.
- Lack of an AI strategy – Fear of unleashing technology within the organization hinders progress.
- Too much distance between IT and business – AI initiatives become siloed without alignment to business needs.
- Too busy with daily operations – There’s interest in AI, but existing tasks make it difficult to gather enough energy to refocus efforts.
These challenges cause many to stay on the sidelines and observe – instead of stepping into the water and actually starting their swimming practice.
Businesses That Have Started with AI – But Aren’t Seeing Results
Many businesses claim they are using AI, but when we take a closer look, it often means they have installed standard solutions like Microsoft Copilot – without a plan for how to actually use them.
Mathematician and AI expert Sivija Seres recently expressed this in an interview with Finansavisen:
“When people say ‘we’re doing a lot with AI,’ they actually mean they’ve installed Copilot but aren’t quite sure what to do with it.”
This is not surprising. The AI market has been driven by hype and high expectations, but the real value only comes when the technology addresses specific business needs.
Businesses That Have Taken the Leap – And Are Learning to Swim
Artificial intelligence is not a question of if, but when – and it can come from within or from outside the company. Therefore, it’s not about waiting, but about seizing the opportunities. Some businesses have taken the leap and are beginning to see results.
SpareBank 1 Midt-Norge is a great example of an organization that has taken the initiative. With many different business areas, from banking advisory to accounting and real estate, they faced challenges with scattered and inaccessible information. This made it time-consuming to find the right data, both internally and when engaging with customers. Together with Computas, they have developed customized CoPilots that simplify and streamline the daily work of the bank’s over 1,700 employees. This is just one of many AI initiatives being evaluated based on gains such as reduced risk, increased quality, and improved efficiency. The bank estimates savings of up to 40% in some processes.
As a large and complex organization, SpareBank 1 Midt-Norge has taken steps to stay competitive. At the same time, smaller players are seizing the opportunities. Prosper AI, a startup in the real estate industry, has developed a solution that cuts the time to create prospectuses from four hours to 15 minutes. Read more about Prosper AI here.
Whether it’s about streamlining existing processes or creating new solutions, the common denominator is the same: those who succeed are the ones who dare to challenge, test, learn, and adjust along the way.
How to Implement AI in Your Business: Start Here
Having solid plans and strategies for AI is important, but they only bring value when put into practice. The key is to begin with practical testing and utilization. Start with one business process where you can achieve quick wins.
At Computas, we’ve found that businesses that are already making progress and seeing results from AI have started with specific, well-defined areas, such as:
- Saving time on manual tasks
- Automating repetitive processes
- Strengthening decisions with better insights
- Improving customer experiences with more personalized solutions
They start small, gain experience, and then scale from there.
Create Learning Environments – And Become a Better Swimmer
AI is not a technology you can simply “roll out” in a company and expect everyone to master immediately. It requires learning, experience, and adaptation over time.
Many companies have access to tools like ChatGPT or Copilot, but still find that employees are not using them effectively. It’s not enough to take a course in generative AI and think that the learning process is complete. Technology alone doesn’t drive change – it needs to be supported by new habits and ways of working.
That’s why concrete learning environments must be created:
- Share experiences. What works? What doesn’t?
- Learn from each other. No one has all the answers. Involve multiple perspectives and challenge each other.
- Push each other forward. AI is evolving rapidly, and it requires continuous testing, adjustment, and improvement.
Companies that succeed in adapting their culture, working methods, and habits alongside artificial intelligence achieve more than just success with the specific solutions they implement. They also create a foundation for new ideas and valuable use cases.
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