AI success isn’t conjured by splashy algorithms, it’s earned in the trenches of digital transformation. Ram Ramamoorthy, head of AI for Zoho, underscores this lesson in the latest video discussion with Opus Research (see below). Ram emphasizes that organizations genuinely benefiting from AI are those with mature digital practices. Digitally advanced departments—such as sales and customer support, with robust systems and data trails—are seeing real productivity gains from AI.

While the first video in this Opus Research series centered on Zoho LLM developments and new capabilities for customizing AI agents, here we feature a candid discussion on practical AI strategy and why AI success begins not with hype, but with the deeper work of digital transformation.

To unlock AI’s potential, Ram recommends a clear sequence: first, eliminate process and data silos; second, invest in foundational rule-based automation. AI cannot thrive in isolated environments where data is fragmented. Streamlining processes and integrating data across functions ensures that AI technologies have access to holistic organizational knowledge.

Lessons From Zoho: Incremental AI Wins
Drawing on Zoho’s internal experiments, Ram shares results from deploying AI internally for customer support and Zoho’s legal and finance teams. The real-world results are refreshingly human: internal pilots improved productivity by a respectable 20-30%, not a “10x” miracle, but real dollars and hours saved. Small wins, repeated, outdo spectacular failures. Organizations are encouraged to begin with low-hanging fruit, demonstrate value, and then expand in scope. The key isn’t spectacular overnight change but a thoughtful, step-by-step progression.

Watch the full interview below on YouTube to hear Ram Ramamoorthy and Derek Top’s insights on shaping pragmatic, resilient AI strategies.

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