#25 Justin Trombold: The Biggest Mistake Companies Are Making with GenAI

Make better business decisions with data and AI—subscribe to The Decision Intelligence Lab Newsletter at ⁠https://decisionintelligencelab.substack.com/⁠.This episode explores how organizations can successfully adopt generative AI by focusing less on tools and more on operating models, decision-making, and alignment.Justin Trombold, President & Founder, Antesyn Advisors, shares his journey from academia to consulting and explains why most companies struggle with GenAI—not because of technology—but due to misaligned strategy, poor processes, and unrealistic expectations.The conversation centers on a GenAI readiness framework with five dimensions:- Strategic alignment- Cross-functional collaboration- End-user proficiency- Scalability & adaptability- GovernanceChapters0:00 - Preview & Introduction 0:41 - Meet Justin Trombold 5:58 - Readiness Assessment Explained7:51 - Strategic Alignment Deep Dive10:06 - Leadership Blind Spots & Overestimating Alignment12:49 - GenAI Strategy vs Reality17:28 - Experimentation & Guardrails21:00 - Real Risks (Hallucinations & Poor Inputs)24:21 - Biggest Organizational Blind Spot27:33 - GenAI as R&D, not IT30:23 - Don’t Approach Vendors without Defined Problems36:30 - Closing ThoughtsAre you ready to unlock the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI) for your organization? Test your organization’s GenAI Readiness at - https://www.antesynadvisors.com/blank-3Follow the showApple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-decision-intelligence-lab/id1811085064⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0lFoAVKqJHTYSZNpeN61ou?si=0ae973aab0174b3b⁠Connect with the guestJustin Trombold: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/trombold/Connect with hostsProf. Vijay Mehrotra (University of San Francisco): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijay-mehrotra-ba9498/⁠Prof. Michael Watson (Northwestern University): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-watson-07600a1⁠About the podcastThe Decision Intelligence Lab podcast delivers real-world insights for data professionals, business leaders, and anyone seeking to leverage data & AI for smarter decision-making & successful business outcomes.For business inquiries, email at ⁠[email protected]⁠