GenAI unplugged: Candid insights from GenAI trailblazers in their own words

Generative AI (GenAI) is poised to revolutionize business operations, promising transformative benefits across various industries. Yet, behind the impressive headlines and glossy marketing, the journey to successfully deploying GenAI is riddled with unseen challenges and complexities.

HFS Research, in collaboration with Cognizant, has undertaken a mission to unveil the unvarnished truth of GenAI implementation. Through a series of candid, in-depth interviews with executive leaders who have been at the vanguard of GenAI adoption, this report cuts through the noise to reveal the real-world hurdles and triumphs encountered on the path to AI integration.

These trailblazing executives—including CIOs, CTOs, innovation heads, and AI directors from Fortune 500 companies and leading firms across finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and tech sectors—have opened up about their journeys.

Their frank discussions reveal the gritty realities of GenAI, distilling hard-earned lessons in trailblazing executives’ own words to guide your GenAI journey beyond the hype. Key insights include:

• GenAI projects often demand more time and resources than anticipated, with robust data infrastructure emerging as a critical and frequently underestimated component.
• Many leaders grappled with explaining GenAI’s “black box” decision-making to stakeholders, underscoring the need for transparency and interpretability in AI systems.
• While some organizations saw quick wins, many found that realizing significant ROI from GenAI initiatives took longer than expected, requiring patience and persistent refinement.
• Contrary to widespread concerns, GenAI implementation frequently led to job transformation rather than job loss, with new roles such as AI ethicists and prompt engineers emerging to support this evolving landscape.

These insights offer a nuanced and realistic picture of the current state of GenAI implementation, providing valuable lessons for organizations at any stage of their AI journey, from those contemplating their first GenAI project to those looking to scale existing initiatives.

To read the complete report, click the download button below.