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CFOs are now in the AI conversation, in South Africa and globally. Technology-led initiatives are failing. The initiatives that are succeeding are business-led: anchored to defined outcomes, measurable returns and value that a board can verify.

This pattern has repeated across technology waves: Internet, mobile, cloud, and now AI. Each technology wave begins with uncritical adoption, then moves to CFO scrutiny. From there, it's business-oriented discipline that separates leaders from laggards. The article concludes by asking: how many South African enterprises are ready for this conversation?

Larridin's State of Enterprise AI 2025 report, surveying more than 1000 industry leaders, served as a source for this story. And see the Larridin State of Enterprise AI 2026 report for an update.

Business-led, value-driven AI is the only kind worth investing in | ITWeb