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AI Readiness Framework

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Talentcrowd

Published On

June 5, 2025

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The AI Readiness Framework

A Practical Guide for Accounting and Finance Leaders

AI isn’t coming. It is already in your tech stack. Microsoft Copilot, Google Workspace, Salesforce Einstein, and dozens of other tools now include AI by default. The question is no longer if your firm will use AI. It is how well you will use it, and whether your systems, people, and policies are ready.

That is where the AI Readiness Framework comes in.

At Talentcrowd and GBQ, we created this framework to help mid-market firms and finance leaders cut through the noise and build smart, secure, and sustainable AI strategies that actually solve business problems.

 

Step 1: Business Problem Clarity

Before you deploy tools, define what you are solving.

AI should never start with, “What can ChatGPT do for us?” It starts with questions like:

  • What business process is costing us time, money, or trust?

  • Where do we see recurring bottlenecks, data entry errors, or delays?

  • What decisions are we making today that could be smarter with better data?

AI is not the solution by itself. It is a force multiplier for the right problems.

 

Step 2: Data Infrastructure and Quality Check

You cannot automate chaos.

We assess your current data landscape to answer questions such as:

  • Is your data structured, accurate, and accessible?

  • Do your source systems communicate with each other, or are they disconnected?

  • Are you capturing the right data in the first place?

If your data is wrong, AI will help you make the wrong decision faster.

 

Step 3: Tech Stack Assessment

Use what you already have, but understand what it is capable of.

We inventory and audit your current platforms to uncover:

  • Built-in AI capabilities in Microsoft, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Salesforce, and others

  • Gaps where AI integration could drive efficiency

  • Redundancy or risk in your current workflow stack

Many teams are already paying for AI functionality they are not using.

 

Step 4: People and Process Readiness

The best AI strategy will fail if your people do not trust it or know how to use it.

We assess:

  • Where your team is already experimenting with AI, often unofficially

  • Training needs based on role, function, and risk level

  • Change management strategy to support adoption and accountability

AI readiness is just as much about mindset as it is about technology.

 

Step 5: AI Governance Design

No AI implementation should go live without oversight.

We help you design lightweight but effective governance that includes:

  • Clear usage policies and approval workflows

  • Defined ownership of models, prompts, and data quality

  • Compliance planning and risk mitigation for standards like SOC 2 and GDPR

You do not need a 50-page policy. You need clear rules and real accountability.

 

Step 6: Prioritized Roadmap and Pilot Selection

Start small, win early, and scale smart.

After completing the assessment, we help you:

  • Identify the best-fit pilot projects

  • Define success criteria and responsible stakeholders

  • Create a phased rollout plan with checkpoints and feedback loops

You do not need a five-year AI strategy. You need a 90-day win that builds momentum.

 

Ready to Assess Your AI Readiness?

We created this framework to help organizations stop guessing and start executing. If you are ready to understand where you stand and what to do next, let us talk.

📄 Get more detail about the process
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