AI adoption

This AI guidance provides a roadmap for startups and enterprises to adopt and maintain AI. It provides best practices. These best practices cover AI technology decisions (build vs. buy), skill development, team organization, and processes to govern, manage, and secure AI.

Figure 1. How to use the AI adoption guidance.

Why adopt AI?

AI improves efficiency through automation. This automation can boost individual productivity, and it can optimize a range of business processes. A successful AI implementation allows you to focus on priorities that drive your organization forward.

How to adopt AI

Begin with AI Strategy to identify use cases where AI can deliver value. Based on that analysis, determine whether to build (PaaS and Iaas) or buy (SaaS) AI solutions for each use case. Implement your strategy using the AI Plan to transition identified use cases into production.

If you choose to build AI workloads with Azure PaaS or IaaS services, follow the AI Ready guidance to establish an AI foundation in Azure. If you opt to buy a Microsoft Copilot SaaS solution, skip the Ready AI guidance.

You must establish processes to Govern AI, Manage AI, and Secure AI to maintain and sustain trustworthy AI. Apply these processes to any AI solution.

AI adoption step	Description	Applicable to build (PaaS or IaaS) or buy (SaaS)?
AI Strategy	Guidance to pick the right AI solutions.	For build (PaaS/IaaS) and buy (SaaS)
AI Plan	Guidance to execute AI adoption.	For build (PaaS/IaaS) and buy (SaaS)
AI Ready	Guidance to build AI workloads in Azure environment.	For build (PaaS/IaaS) only
Govern AI	Guidance to control AI.	For build (PaaS/IaaS) and buy (SaaS)
Manage AI	Guidance to maintain AI.	For build (PaaS/IaaS) and buy (SaaS)
Secure AI	Guidance to secure AI.	For build (PaaS/IaaS) and buy (SaaS)

AI checklists

Use the AI checklists as your roadmap for adopting and maintaining AI. The enterprise checklist prepares your organization to adopt AI at scale. The startup checklist helps you move toward production faster but still get governance, management, and security best practices.

AI adoption phase	Startup checklist	Enterprise checklist
AI Strategy	☐ Define an AI technology strategy	☐ Identify AI use cases ☐ Define an AI technology strategy ☐ Define an AI data strategy ☐ Define a responsible AI strategy
AI Plan	☐ Access AI resources ☐ Implement responsible AI	☐ Assess AI skills ☐ Acquire AI skills ☐ Access AI resources ☐ Prioritize AI use cases ☐ Create an AI proof of concept ☐ Implement responsible AI ☐ Estimate delivery timelines
AI Ready	☐ Build an AI environment ☐ Choose an architecture ☐ Use AI design areas	☐ Establish AI reliability ☐ Establish AI governance ☐ Establish AI networking ☐ Establish an AI foundation ☐ Choose an architecture ☐ Use AI design areas
Govern AI	☐ Enforce AI governance policies	☐ Assess AI organizational risks ☐ Document AI governance policies ☐ Enforce AI policies ☐ Monitor AI organizational risks
Manage AI	☐ Manage AI models ☐ Manage AI costs	☐ Manage AI operations ☐ Manage AI deployment ☐ Manage AI endpoint sharing ☐ Manage AI models ☐ Manage AI costs ☐ Manage AI data ☐ Manage AI business continuity
Secure AI	☐ Implement AI security controls	☐ Assess AI security risks ☐ Implement AI security controls ☐ Maintain AI security controls

Next step

AI Strategy