For smaller projects, Lexmark asks if it’s worth experimenting with from a commercial perspective. If it is, they take a close look at the smaller vendors to make sure they don’t miss out on some of the innovation coming from the broader market. “If it doesn’t work, at least it won’t create a hole in our priorities for this year,” says Gupta. “And if it does work, it’s all upside.”
Large software vendors are used to solving the integration problems that enterprises deal with on a daily basis, says Lee McClendon, chief digital and technology officer at software testing company Tricentis. It’s more common for smaller vendors to deliver point solutions to specific problems that may not have the level of connectivity and robustness that enterprises require. This applies to all technologies, not just AI. “But it’s important to consider whether multiple point solutions in the AI space are worth the management overhead given the complexities of managing data privacy and security in this rapidly evolving field,” he says.
Lee McClendon, chief digital and technology officer, Tricentis
Tricentis
Concerning established vendors, a word of caution from Eric Helmer, CTO for Rimini Street, is that big companies may be bundling and up-charging for AI as part of their standard products. All the major software vendors are putting it into their products, he says. “If they haven’t done so already, it’ll be bundled in their next release,” he says. “Companies who have a lot of legacy applications may find themselves on an AI journey they didn’t ask for. You may go through the evolution of these very disruptive upgrades, only to find out the functionality you got will never be of use.”
