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- The AI hype is over
The AI Second Brain
Today you learn how NOT to fail with AI, the Google ROI report AND get a bonus free webinar invite!
Because the AI hype is over.
2025 is about AI return on investment
We both know that for the past year, "AI" has been synonymous with "hype."
But after talking with dozens of companies, I noticed that the conversation has fundamentally shifted from if businesses should use AI, to how they can get measurable value from it.
The problem is, many companies are struggling to make AI projects stick. In my opinion it’s a human habit problem.
The new 2025 report from Google Cloud, "The ROI of AI," claims that we're now in the "agentic era", where AI agents are meant to independently execute tasks.
But while 52% of organizations using gen AI have adopted these agents, most are still in the "early phases".
And the difference is rough…
Because according to the Google Cloud report, 88% of these early adopter organizations are already seeing a positive ROI on their generative AI use cases.
But for everyone else, the struggle is real.
BONUS: you will receive this report as a bonus together with the recording if you join the free webinar this Thursday.
It will be a practical, "how-to" session focused on avoiding the three main pitfalls that have derailed AI projects for so many teams and 3 solutions.
Event Details:
Topic: Three Practical Steps to Make AI Work for Your Business
Date: Thu, Oct 30
Time: 9:00 PM CET
Cost: Free (Online)
You'll hear from:
Me (AI Transformation Lead, NorthstarB LLC): I'll cover the strategy and real-world frameworks (the "why").
Fernanda Lopez (Customer Success Engineer, Zenphi): She'll show live demos of how to implement these ideas and automate tangible workflows right inside Google Workspace (the "how").
This is your chance to learn the repeatable "quick wins" that build momentum and deliver the tangible ROI that C-level folks love to see.
The "Early Adopter" Advantage
What are they doing differently?
C-Suite Support: This is the clearest driver of success. A staggering 78% of organizations with comprehensive C-level sponsorship report seeing ROI on at least one gen AI use case.
Real Bet: Early adopters allocate a significantly larger portion of their IT spend to AI (39% on average, vs. the 26% average for all companies).
Real-World ROI: They are laser-focused on moving the needle in 5 key areas:
Productivity (70% report improvements)
Customer Experience (63% report improvements)
Business Growth (56% report growth)
Marketing (55% report impact)
Security (49% report improvements)
AND the 2 biggest roadblocks to AI value:
Data privacy and security
Integration with existing systems
This is the exact pitfall we see every day: companies trying to build complex AI in a silo, completely disconnected from the tools their teams actually use.
The Google report’s own checklist for success says it best: "Start with the biggest wins... automate repeatable tasks" and "Give your AI agents the tools to be useful... it needs access to your internal enterprise systems".
If your AI can't talk to your inbox, your CRM, or your spreadsheets, it's not an "agent", it's a very expensive tech test.
How to WIN
This data confirms what we've been saying: the secret isn't a massive budget, it’s a practical strategy.
If you're a leader or entrepreneur trying to figure out how to get that AI win (or if you're working in a Google Workspace environment), join our free session Thursday.
Arrivederci!
- Alex Northstar, your human guide to success with AI 🌟
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