In this moment, excerpted from her keynote, Dona Sarkar, Chief Troublemaker, Enterprise AI Advocacy, Microsoft, argued that despite the enormous excitement surrounding generative AI, the industry has not yet discovered the breakthrough application that will bring AI into everyday life for billions of people.
Key Takeaways
- AI Hasn’t Found Its Defining Consumer Use Case Yet: Sarkar argued that the industry is still largely attaching chatbots to existing products rather than creating the transformative experiences that define a technology era. Unlike innovations such as Shazam, Google Maps, or Runkeeper, AI has not yet produced a mainstream application that consumers cannot imagine living without.
- Today’s AI Investments Are About Preparation: Rather than viewing the absence of a killer app as a problem, Sarkar said organizations should focus on building knowledge, skills, and infrastructure. As AI becomes more affordable, predictable, and better understood, companies that have invested early will be positioned to move fastest.
- Netflix Shows Why Future-Proofing Matters: Sarkar pointed to Netflix as an example of strategic preparation. Years before streaming became practical, the company built its content library, customer base, and operational foundation. When internet speeds finally enabled streaming, Netflix was ready, giving it a lasting advantage over competitors that arrived later.
