Understanding the Problem AI Solves

According to a new report from Relex Solutions, 60% of companies that have invested in AI say it’s not working. The stated problems: are talent gaps, budget limits, and bad data.

While it’s true that all three of these problems are standing between companies and their AI ROI, there is a bigger problem behind all of this. We heard it from an executive in the financial services industry recently.

"I don't understand what problem you're solving."

When a seasoned business leader said this to us recently, we were momentarily stunned. Not because the question was unfair, but because it revealed a fundamental challenge in the AI revolution: we haven't been clear enough about the actual problems intelligent systems solve for businesses.

The Invisible Pain Point

The most challenging products to sell aren't those that address obvious pains – they're solutions to problems leaders don't yet recognize they have. It's what I call an "unconscious pain point" – something that's holding back your business that you haven't identified because it's become normalized in your operations.

For the majority of business leaders, this invisible pain manifests as decision-making without adequate insight. While exceptional leaders like the one who challenged us already have clear vision and strategic networks, the truth is that roughly 95% of executives are simply trying to navigate to the next milestone without a comprehensive view of their competitive landscape.

Even when leaders develop a vision, they often lack effective mechanisms to validate it. Is the market position strong? What are competitors doing? Where are the vulnerabilities? And critically in this AI era: are there humans in the loop providing oversight?

From Problem to Opportunity: Shifting the Paradigm

Everything exists on a spectrum. What presents as a problem from one angle appears as an opportunity from another – they're simply different perspectives on the same situation.

At RBI, we've recognized that our challenge isn't just solving technical problems with AI; it's helping leaders recognize the opportunity cost of operating without enhanced intelligence. It's not about addressing what's broken – it's about revealing what's possible.

This shift from problem-fixing to opportunity-creation changes everything about how we approach business intelligence. Instead of diagnosing ailments, we're opening doors to possibilities many leaders didn't know existed.

One of the most underappreciated challenges of leadership is its inherent isolation. When you're the decision-maker, you often lack peers with whom to test ideas, explore scenarios, or simply think aloud without judgment.

This is where AI creates unexpected value – not just as a tool, but as what I've come to call a "co-conspirator" in strategic thinking. Having an intelligent system that can engage with your ideas, challenge your assumptions, and explore alternatives creates a new kind of collaborative space that reduces the isolation of leadership.

For consultants and coaches, this same capability transforms client relationships by enabling more insightful questions, identifying overlooked opportunities, and providing guidance based on comprehensive analysis rather than limited personal experience.

The first step to solving any problem is acknowledging it exists. The challenge with next-generation business intelligence isn't implementation – it's recognition. Leaders need to see the gap between their current decision-making processes and what's possible with augmented intelligence.

At RBI, we're committed to bridging this recognition gap through demonstrations that make the invisible visible. By showing rather than telling, we're helping leaders understand not just the capabilities of AI systems, but how these capabilities translate into competitive advantage in their specific context.

If you’re ready to see what AI can help you accomplish in your business, call us today to schedule a demo.