Guiding customers on the uneven path to AI adoption

New large language model artificial intelligence tools are promising to drastically transform the way organisations operate but customer enthusiasm often outstrips their readiness.

According to research from Salesforce, 41% of Australian workers state their workplace is ready for AI adoption, below the global average of 48%.

For partners, there is opportunity in becoming a trusted advisor for customers on their AI journey, but also risk of being left behind themselves.

365Mesh and VInet are two partners that, with the support of Dicker Data, have been getting themselves and their partners ready to take advantage of the next big wave of transformation.

VInet founder and managing director Stuart Davis said it was rare to see an AI-ready company.

“Most people don't really understand their own businesses well enough to understand where AI can be applied. I don't think people really understand the depth of knowledge they need to have, such as how clean their data is and how ready their data is for use in AI,” he said.

365Mesh chief executive Marco Delgado said his experience with customer readiness was more diverse.

“Some organisations began a decade ago and now operate at very high levels of maturity. Others started two to three years ago and already show excellent progress, particularly in data governance maturity. At the same time, some customers are still exploring their very first steps,”

Both agreed that progress is being made and that getting customers on board with AI is getting easier, but added that the challenge now was having the right conversations.

VInet’s Davis said many customers were still reeling from the level of hype surrounding the technology and partners should be aware of addressing business needs.

“Some people are probably overplaying the need to accelerate towards AI, especially in the SME space. A lot of customers are worried that they're not going to be able to keep pace with something that we've told them is going to be an extremely quick change,” he said.

“It’s important for those customers to understand that there is a pace and a measured approach for every industry, for every geography, for every business.”

365Mesh’s Delgado said the challenge was about shifting the conversation from awareness and ambition to practical execution.

“Delivery, operations, commercial, and lifecycle management – these models are often overlooked once the first business use case is identified and hopes are high. We see many organisations face immense friction when moving from proof-of-value prototyping to product-ready and scalable outcomes,” he said.

For partners getting started with AI, the pair said it was vital to understand both customer needs and the tech itself and work with others who can fill any gaps.

Delgado said: “Everyone is chasing use cases, but the real differentiator is understanding first, acting as the conduit, and knowing where you can lead conversations at a comfortable depth.”

Davis added: “Absolutely, unequivocally, do not believe the hype that you can do it all yourself. Find other businesses in your ecosystem – specialists in business advisory, risk and assurance, cybersecurity, legal – that can be party to your journey with your customers. Having those people ready in your Rolodex is going to be an extremely important part of that journey.”

Dicker Data’s perspective

Australia’s AI market is forecast to reach $315 billion by 2028, yet adoption in Australia and New Zealand still lags behind global markets.

Customers are asking for guidance on how they can move from being AI aware to AI ready, but many partners lack experience, frameworks or confidence to help them move from pilots to production.

Dicker Data AI Practice Lead Amir Kalil says the company is leading by example in the adoption of AI to help partners shape how AI is understood, implemented, and scaled across the ecosystem.

“We began by applying AI internally to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and pinpoint areas where AI drives real business value. These experiences have equipped us with practical insights into data readiness, security, and return on investment measurement—insights we now share with our partners to help them navigate their own AI journeys,” he said.

By learning through using AI internally, partners can also gain the confidence they are cutting through any hype to deliver AI solutions that are right-sized for the customer they are serving, as the expert partners advised.

As VInet and 365Mesh stated, customers are increasingly enthusiastic about AI but lack the knowledge and expertise to know how to get ready for implementation.

To become a trusted AI advisor, partners need to have those capabilities and Dicker Data is ready to support partners in their own journey as they prepare to lead the way.

Kalil said Dicker Data developed its AI Accelerate practice to help partners to identify relevant and impactful ways to move from AI exploration to productised deployments with ongoing revenue streams.

It includes readiness assessments that help identify partners’ readiness and identify how to support them to move toward being AI-ready, as well whether they are currently more suited to off-the-shelf or bespoke AI solutions.

Dicker Data recognises that even with comprehensive support, building deep AI expertise takes time, yet partners who aren’t proactively bringing AI to the table are being overlooked.

As the expert partners said, it is important for partners to look for support from within their network to find other businesses that can fill capability gaps.

Kalil explained how Dicker Data’s AI Accelerate includes white-label consulting and engineering services to help where it is needed.

“We want to help you compete for opportunities today that might otherwise go to specialist consultancies or direct vendor relationships,” he said.

Furthermore, Dicker Data has partnered with OEM vendors including Dell Technologies and Cisco to build channel-first AI proof-of-concept facilities in Sydney. These facilities give partners safe, cost-effective access to enterprise-grade AI infrastructure for testing and validating solutions locally.

Kalil said one of these facilities was recently used to help a partner secure a major deal, moving from concept to contract in weeks rather than months.

“The $315 billion opportunity is real, and it is moving fast. Partners who prepare internally and leverage AI Accelerate will be ready to lead customers through this transformation and capture the revenue that comes with it. Customers who are not being proactively engaged by their technology partner are going it alone and forging their own paths, which is a missed opportunity for the channel and a costly one for the customer,” he added.