What Big Companies Get Wrong About AI
Why most AI initiatives fail and what actually works in the real world.
AI Strategy & Adoption
Richard
Paul
Senior Director in the Global AI Office at NTT DATA. I lead enterprise AI strategy and adoption, helping global teams and clients turn fast-moving AI technology into real commercial value. Outside of work, I build a few small ventures of my own.
NTT DATACurrent role
Senior Director, Global AI Office
ForbesRecognition
Technology Council member · 3 published pieces
Independent VenturesOutside of work
TorontoBased in
Ontario, Canada
Profile
Enterprise AI, made practical.
My work sits between fast-moving AI technology and the enterprise teams who have to position, sell, and adopt it. Commercially focused, practical over theoretical: strategy, adoption, and operating models that hold up in real organisations.
At NTT DATA: Global AI Office
I help enterprises turn AI into real business outcomes: setting direction on enterprise AI strategy, guiding adoption across global teams and clients, and advising senior leaders on where AI creates real commercial value.
Over the past three years, the work has supported $300M+ in enterprise AI opportunities and total contract value, and guided $50M+ in AI program investments across global initiatives.
What I focus on
01
AI strategy & GTMEnterprise AI and GenAI strategy, go-to-market, and monetisation: what to build, position, and prioritise.
02
Adoption & operating modelsHow organisations actually adopt AI at scale: pilots that become capabilities, not demos that stall.
03
Building in publicAlongside the day job, I build and run my own products and ventures. It is the fastest way to stay honest about what works.
Board service
Board Director, Leilani’s HopeSince March 2026 · Waterloo Region, OntarioServing on the Board of Directors at Leilani’s Hope, supporting strategy and organisational growth: helping expand impact, strengthen community outreach, and support the mission of serving children and families.
ForbesTechnology
Council
Council
Published on Forbes
As a member of the Forbes Technology Council, I write on enterprise AI: why pilots stall, how partnerships last, and how AI-driven insight improves operations.
29 Apr 2026
The Scaling Gap: Why Successful Pilots Rarely Become CapabilitiesAuthored article · Forbes Technology Council
28 Apr 2026
How To Turn Bank-Fintech Pilots Into Lasting PartnershipsExpert Panel contribution · Forbes Technology Council
6 Apr 2026
How To Leverage AI-Driven Insights To Power Better Business OperationsExpert Panel contribution · Forbes Technology Council
View my Forbes profile ↗
Books
Books on Amazon
Short, practical books on putting AI to work, written from the same day to day experience as the Forbes pieces. The first two are out in Kindle and paperback, with three more Kindle editions in the WorkSmartHQ AI Business Guides series.
Build Your Own AI Chief of Staff
How to create an AI-powered assistant that thinks, plans and executes with you.
The 5-Day AI Transformation
A step-by-step plan to go from ideas to results in just five days.
AI for the Trades
Save time, win more jobs and run a more efficient business with AI.
AI for Small Business
A step-by-step guide to save time, work smarter and grow your business.
Expertise
Topics I work & write on
The consolidated list: strategy through to adoption, platforms, and the commercial models behind them.
Experience
Where I’ve worked
Platform, product, and service leadership across global technology, professional services, and the pension sector, leading to the AI transformation work I do today.
Senior Director, Global AI Office2022 – Present
NTT DATA
- Lead AI strategy, go-to-market, and AI transformation for strategic accounts across global regions; the work has supported $300M+ in enterprise AI opportunities and guided $50M+ in AI program investments.
- Previously led product strategy for an enterprise applications portfolio supporting a $1.5B+ revenue stream and 150+ enterprise clients.
Product Leader, ServiceNow, Salesforce & Pension Apps2021 – 2022
CAAT Pension Plan
- Led a team of 10+ across ServiceNow, Salesforce, and pension platforms serving 600,000+ plan members.
- Designed the end-to-end Salesforce to ServiceNow integration and delivered IT operations, discovery, and risk management programs.
ServiceNow Practice Leader2018 – 2021
BDO Canada
- Built and scaled BDO Canada’s ServiceNow practice across design, build, and operate, driving multi-million-dollar growth.
- Established the intake, prioritization, and governance frameworks that aligned delivery to business value.
Technical Solutions Lead & Product Owner2016 – 2018
Alstom
- Integrated 13 acquired environments into a single ServiceNow platform in about six months, running service desk operations for roughly 25,000 users on a $4M annual budget.
- Raised first call resolution from 52% to 70% and reduced incidents by 23% through automation.
IT Consultant2012 – 2016
HP
- Managed global service delivery for enterprise clients including Shell and Philips, supporting 115,000+ users and 125+ applications.
- Cut delivery costs by 22% in 15 months and built a 120-member delivery team through a cross-border transition.
ITSM Consultant (Contract)2013 – 2016
Shell
- IT service management consulting for Shell, delivered on contract.
Ventures
What I’m building
Same instinct as the day job, at a smaller scale: take something complicated (AI at work, backup power, heat and cold, or home water) and turn it into a clear, self-serve tool with honest sizing and guidance instead of hype. Four small ventures, all built and run alongside NTT DATA.
WorkSmartHQ
worksmarthq.ca
AI playbooks, agent blueprints, and spreadsheet tools for small businesses, built for realtors, investors, mortgage brokers, clinics, and other owners who want AI that saves time without needing to code.
Visit site ↗AI tools & playbooks
VerdaFlux
verdaflux.com
Portable power, sized right. Backup-power sizing calculators and buying guidance that match the right battery and capacity to your home, before you spend.
Visit site ↗Backup power
ThermoVell
thermovell.com
Saunas and cold plunge, explained properly: what size you need, what heater and breaker it requires, and how much space it really takes.
Visit site ↗Sauna & cold plunge
Vellwater
vellwater.com
Home water treatment without the guesswork: sizing calculators and clear guidance for softeners and filtration, matched to your water and your household.
Visit site ↗Water treatment
Find me online
One place for everything: professional profile, writing, code, and social.
The best way to reach me is LinkedIn.
If you're working on enterprise AI, adoption, or building something practical, connect there and take a look at the Forbes pieces and ventures above.