Why Data-First Thinking Is Killing Your AI Strategy

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/716What if your company’s AI journey didn’t start with data or tech—but with vision? In this episode, Erik David Johnson, Chief AI Officer at Delegate, shares how he’s helping organizations across Europe move from AI curiosity to concrete, production-ready solutions. With over 5,000 professionals trained and a hands-on workshop model that’s reshaping how businesses think about AI, Erik offers a rare blend of technical depth, strategic clarity, and regulatory insight. Whether you're building your first AI use case or navigating the EU AI Act, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom.  🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS - AI Strategy Starts with Vision, Not Data: Erik emphasizes that companies should define where they want to go before looking at the data they have—flipping the common “data-first” approach on its head.- The 3-Day AI Ideation Workshop: A structured yet flexible sprint that helps organizations identify, qualify, and prioritize AI use cases—culminating in a roadmap and candidate architecture.- Avoiding the “Tech-First” Trap: Erik warns against jumping straight to tools like ChatGPT or Azure AI without first addressing organizational, cultural, and user adoption barriers. - AI Literacy is a Legal Requirement: Under the EU AI Act, companies must educate staff on AI. Erik shares how he's helping organizations meet this challenge through hands-on training and advisory roles. - Legal and Regulatory Readiness: From advising Danish politicians to shaping national AI policy, Erik offers a unique perspective on how legal frameworks like the EU AI Act and ISO 42001 are reshaping the AI landscape. 🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED: 👉 Delegate’s 3-Day AI Ideation Workshop – https://delegate.dk 👉 EU AI Act – https://artificialintelligenceact.eu 👉 ISO/IEC 42001 (AI Management Systems) – https://www.iso.org/standard/81230.html 👉 Erik’s Research and Writings – Available via his Computerworld Denmark column 👉 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith