IDC predicts that in 2024, 50% of APAC cities and states will pilot GenAI to improve efficacy in community outreach and customer service, procurement, staff recruitment and training, and software development. The latest IDC FutureScape report predicts that AI and automation technologies will remain central to tech investment initiatives.  According to Dr Lily Phan, Research Director, Intelligent Automation at IDC Asia/Pacific AI is needed to lower operational costs, reduce staffing pressure, revamp end-user experience, and democratize decision-making power. The adaptability and efficiency offered by AI and automation solutions can provide the technologies that can mitigate staff shortage and economic challenges," she added. With AI hype still high, Asia-Pacific businesses that are dipping their finder into the technology, they must ask themselves: how do they move beyond experiments and unlock real business value with AI?  In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we are joined by David Irecki, director of solutions consulting for APJ with Boomi, to share with us his views on the “secret path” to practical AI. 1.       What is the problem that organisations will face as they implement AI? 2.       What do we mean by “practical AI”? 3.       Can we use this practical approach generative AI to accelerate current digital transformation initiatives? 4.       What happens when an organisation is integrating AI into their transformation journey only to realise it's not as easy as marketing makes it out to be? 5.       Looking ahead, what key considerations should businesses prioritize to "future-proof" their AI initiatives and remain competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape? 6.       This 2024, what are your expectations around AI including how it is evolving, and the approaches organisations are taking to operationalise the technology into current and evolving business processes?