Why You Need an AI Blueprint—and How to Build One

Key parts of the AI blueprint

Every organization’s AI journey is unique—that means there’s no one-size-fits-all model for an AI blueprint. That being said, there are some common phases of the journey toward AI implementation:

Governance

In the first stage of your journey, you’ll be focusing on governance, which are the systems and policies you’ll use to make sure your organization’s use of AI is effective and responsible. Key to this is choosing the right people to head up your AI initiative and giving them the time and budget they’ll need to guide you through this process. Ideally, your AI governance team would include at least one senior executive or decision-maker at the company; this ensures that the policies and procedures align with your organization’s strategic goals and can help you gain wider buy-in for your AI program.

With your AI team chosen, they’ll get to work developing an AI policy, which is a crucial part of any organization’s shift to AI. It’s a framework that sets out the goals, principles and tactics of the organization’s AI use. This important document will help your employees understand how—and how not—to use AI in their work. It also allows you to manage the AI use that’s already going on and gives you a process for responding to unauthorized AI use.

Enablement

With your policy and team in place, it’s time to decide which AI tools are best for your organization. From multipurpose LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude to task-specific tools, organizations have more options than ever before. Your AI governing team might make the initial product recommendations and allow employees to submit ideas later on for new tools to add to the roster. We recommend that organizations pay for the tools they want their employees to use. Free and unmanaged tools can pose serious security risks; plus, a corporate license often gives users more functionality than the free or individual license might.

A key part of this phase is education for employees across the organization. While some employees may already be using AI tools in their workflows or personal lives, others may have limited knowledge of this technology. Even frequent users may not be aware of all the features of your AI tools, especially if your organization uses a corporate license with more robust functionalities. Education can take many different forms, from company-wide webinars to hands-on workshops and open “office hours” with AI team members.

Fluency

This is the phase where employees throughout the organization are using AI in authorized ways as outlined in the AI policy. During this phase, your AI team might be measuring use through company-wide surveys or townhalls, which will help them learn what’s working—and what’s not—so they can develop best practices.

Once your organization has mastered the use of AI tools to enhance their efficiency, then it’s time to move into what we call “transformative thinking.” This is when you start rethinking your workflows and goals to reflect the impact AI has had on your organization. Depending on your investment in AI and the technological background of your team members, you might consider more in-depth use of AI for complex processes like software development or programming. The groundwork you’ve already laid out in the earlier stages will help you keep your future strategy aligned with best practices.

Of course, AI is constantly evolving, so no process can stay static for long. It’s a good idea to set up a semi-annual or annual review period where your AI team can report on AI use throughout the organization and suggest new tools to implement. This will also give you the chance to revisit your AI policy and make any necessary additions or changes.

AI has the potential to revolutionize the way DMOs and hospitality businesses operate, so it’s important to have a clear vision of where your organization is heading and how to get there. At Miles, our team works with travel and tourism brands navigating this massive technological shift, both through our leadership of AI Opener for Destinations and through our work with individual organizations. Our expert teams can help you craft an AI blueprint that helps your organization achieve your goals for AI implementation while keeping you and your team safe. For more information, contact us.