Move Beyond AI Hype to Strategy – Chenosis CEO Urges Businesses
By Maame Efua Kwaduah
The Chief Executive Officer of Chenosis, Saad Syed, has called on businesses to move beyond artificial intelligence experimentation and adopt a more strategic, disciplined approach to drive growth and competitiveness.
Speaking at the MTN Business CTIO Roundtable Africa, Mr. Syed noted that although interest in AI continues to grow rapidly, many organisations are getting caught up in multiple pilot projects without clear direction or measurable outcomes.
He warned that such an approach often creates the illusion of progress without delivering real business value, stressing the need for companies to focus on initiatives that directly improve performance and profitability.
Mr. Syed said artificial intelligence should not be treated as a trend or a compliance exercise, but as a core strategic tool aligned with business objectives, market realities and long-term goals.
He further explained that the key question for organisations is not where to apply AI, but how to use it to transform decision-making and improve efficiency across operations.
According to him, AI is now enabling faster and more precise decisions in areas such as pricing and risk assessment, allowing businesses to tailor outcomes to individual customers and specific transactions in ways that were previously not possible.
He revealed that some financial institutions are already deploying advanced systems to make real-time credit decisions based on detailed customer data, helping to reduce risk and improve accuracy.
Mr. Syed also highlighted the importance of collaboration, noting that companies are increasingly working across sectors to combine data, expertise and capabilities to build stronger solutions.
He stressed that as AI becomes more widely accessible, competitive advantage will depend less on the technology itself and more on the quality of an organisation’s data, knowledge and strategic direction.
He added that trust, relationships and empathy remain essential in business and cannot be replaced by technology, cautioning that even advanced systems cannot compensate for weak strategy.
Mr. Syed urged business leaders to invest in their workforce, encourage innovation and adopt new ways of thinking, noting that organisations willing to adapt and collaborate will be best positioned to use AI to scale and dominate future markets.
