Organisations rushing into artificial intelligence (AI) without a clear strategy and the right internal capability risk overpromising, underdelivering, and ultimately damaging their credibility in the market.
According to Lebo Masola-Mnjama, talent manager at Dariel, deploying AI successfully is not about chasing trends or hiring the most expensive specialists, it’s about alignment, maturity, and disciplined problem-solving.
“Having a detailed AI strategy is where it all starts,” says Masola-Mnjama. “You need the right data and engineering foundations to carry that strategy forward. Without that, even the most advanced AI tools won’t solve the problem you’re trying to fix.”
She warns that companies often fall into the trap of implementing “posh AI systems” that look impressive on paper but fail to address real client or operational challenges.
“Engineers still need to apply intellect and critical thinking. If we stop asking whether AI is necessary for a particular problem, we risk building solutions that add complexity instead of value.”
Masola-Mnjama says one of the biggest mistakes companies make is hiring AI talent before defining their AI direction. “Businesses are not doing enough research into what route they want to take with AI and then tying their hiring strategy to that,” she explains.
“If you don’t know whether you’re focusing on automation, analytics, customer experience, or operational optimisation, how can you hire correctly?”
This misalignment often leads to fragmented teams, duplicated capability, and stalled initiatives. Beyond hiring, Masola-Mnjama identifies organisational maturity as a critical barrier to AI adoption.
“Many organisations are simply not mature enough yet. By maturity, I mean a lack of understanding of the AI landscape and an inability to assess which projects truly require AI and which don’t.”
Without this discernment, companies risk deploying AI in areas where traditional engineering or process optimisation would deliver better returns. When it comes to building AI capability, Masola-Mnjama believes businesses must strike a careful balance.
“There will be a need for both hiring and upskilling,” she says. “A lot of effort should be spent on upskilling your existing workforce, because they already understand the culture and the business context.”
At the same time, experienced AI specialists bring fresh perspective and technical depth that can accelerate capability building.
“That combination creates balance and internal continuity with new specialist skills to close technical gaps.” As AI initiatives mature, organisational structures must evolve accordingly.
“Eventually, you need to move from experimentation to implementation,” says Masola-Mnjama. “AI must become a core capability across the business, not just a side project and this requires clear measurement frameworks and defined success criteria.
“You must know what success looks like. If you can’t measure outcomes, you can’t scale impact.” Who should lead AI initiatives? According to Masola-Mnjama, neither technical experts nor business leaders can do it alone.
“It needs to be a hybrid role,” she explains. “Technical leaders bring depth and feasibility insight. Business leaders bring strategic direction and commercial awareness. Together, they balance each other.”
This dual lens ensures AI initiatives remain technically sound while aligned to broader business goals. Organisations that adopt AI without sufficient internal capability face reputational and operational risk.
“There is a real danger of overpromising and underdelivering,” warns Masola-Mnjama. “If you oversell what you’re capable of and can’t execute, it discredits your business.”
In a competitive market where trust and credibility are paramount, failed AI initiatives can have long-term consequences.
Masola-Mnjama’s message is clear: AI is not a shortcut to innovation. It is a capability that demands strategic clarity, organisational maturity, and disciplined talent development.
“AI can absolutely transform businesses,” she concludes. “But only when it’s grounded in strategy, supported by the right skills, and led with both technical and strategic intent.”