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Getting Started with AI in Ministry

Getting started with AI requires careful planning and realistic expectations. Here are key considerations for ministries beginning their AI journey:

Timeline Expectations

According to Gartner, most AI projects in business take 4 years to launch, despite shorter predictions. Organizations should:

  • Start with a small pilot project
  • Use a "Minimum Viable Product" approach to minimize resource allocation while maximizing learning
  • Consider applying AI to a narrow segment of the organization initially
  • Look at financial segments as a potential starting point, due to their complexity, key role, and inherent numeric data generation

Data Requirements

For Organizations with Substantial Data

  • Explore existing "big data" within the organization
  • Focus on data that drives organizational goals and decisions
  • Leverage metrics already being tracked, as "what gets measured is what gets done"

For Organizations with Limited Data

Some AI applications require less data and may be more suitable for smaller organizations:

  • Modeling personalization
  • User engagement systems
  • Chatbots

Technical Requirements

Beyond timeline and data considerations, organizations need:

  • AI experts or enthusiasts to spearhead projects
  • Appropriate technical capabilities - the "intelligence stack" (see O'Reilly's analysis of implementation requirements)