Over a span of four days, a series of panel discussions held by Comcast Business at THE PLAYERS® Championship provided insights into how technology is rapidly transforming the way we work across industries, disrupting processes, team structures, security—and how best to measure success.

Business leaders dove into how to use AI as a tool to effect business outcomes, how to assemble future-ready teams to drive organizational success, and how to prepare for cybersecurity threats.

Here are our top five takeaways:

AI Will Replace Activities More than Roles

Experts agree that, by and large, the notion that AI is simply a job replacer is a misconception. Businesses should view next-gen technologies as tools to enhance productivity and automate certain job activities, not necessarily to replace roles. 

It’s also important to remember that most tasks and functions can still be addressed with typical software. Of course, if incumbent programing falls short, then perhaps AI can help.

AI is Not One-Size-Fits-All 

Usage of next-gen technologies alone will not revolutionize business. Even as more accessible AI tools drive adoption rates at the enterprise level, firms should not rush to implementation if they aren’t ready. Not only is AI implementation expensive, but failure rates are also high (between 60-80%, according to estimates).

It would behoove companies to remember their long-term goals and universal truths: That includes creating really great customer experiences, retaining top talent in all roles, and preserving culture amidst rapid changes. 

Future-Ready Teams are Cross-Functional and Multi-Generational 

To win, companies must continue to invest in human intelligence. After all, it took some very smart people to create the machines and the machine learning models being deployed today. 

Firms should ideally strive for the following four things:

1. Don’t be over-focused on just data scientists and software engineers. Look for people who possess strong creativity, decision-making and critical-thinking skills. 

2. Hire people who are a strong cultural fit with an organization, always focusing on aligning teams around your purpose. 

3. Empower women technologists: Identify talent early, nurture valued employees with programs and support structures, and give them visibility and voice. 

4. Create a workplace that keeps employees engaged, be it remote, in-office, or a blend of both. It’s important to remember that everyone—no matter if they are Boomers, Gen X, Millennial, or Gen Z—wants to work in a place where they feel a sense of purpose. 

Quality Data is a Pillar of Any AI Strategy

Data complexity is a frequent barrier to successful AI adoption. Because high-quality data is required for AI systems to reliably interpret huge datasets and derive accurate and meaningful insights, poor data governance can lead to a number of issues, including operational failures, security vulnerabilities, and regulatory non-compliance.

Therefore, getting intelligent outcomes from data starts with ensuring it is clean, is stored efficiently, is easily accessible, and has policies governing who can access it—before firms can determine how data can or should be used to drive desired outcomes. 

AI Will Test Cybersecurity, Necessitating Multi-Pronged Response Efforts

As machine learning advances—and it will become more intuitive and complex—AI will pose a growing threat to cybersecurity defenses. Some of the biggest challenges to effective cybersecurity are bad actors who consistently think of ways to overcome every defense a business may currently have. 

Firms’ increasing vulnerability to more sophisticated attacks makes it necessary for them to prioritize cybersecurity infrastructure and calls for collective defense mechanisms between the public and private sectors to effectively combat common challenges and threats.

In the end, experts say this new technological age is a good opportunity for enterprises across industries to reflect inward and increase their efforts to reinforce the fundamentals: Work with great people, create great products and services, and drive business value.