Keepler Data Tech: “Investment in GenAI will continue to grow, but subject to the most rigorous scrutiny from a business perspective”

Generative AI has taken centre stage in recent months. Organisations are exploring GenAI’s potential, with the majority (83%, according to Gartner) in the pilot or assessment phase. However, according to the same source, only 9% have managed to make the solutions productive. This is the challenge in the short term: transforming ideas and tests into real projects that show the benefits of the investment.

We spoke with Juan María Aramburu, CEO of Keepler Data Tech, a company specialising in AI and data. Keepler helps its clients successfully navigate the uncertain but necessary journey of leveraging emerging technologies to turn data into valuable assets for growth, innovation, and decision-making. 

Generative AI is the big tech trend in 2024. How is it changing the way companies approach digital transformation, and what is its importance when allocating IT budgets?

“If 2023 was the year when this technology surprised many companies, 2024 marked the moment when most companies decided to invest in Generative AI. In 2025, many CFOs will question IT teams about the return on that investment. I am convinced that investment in AI, especially Generative AI, will continue to grow but will be subject to much more rigorous scrutiny from a business perspective. This will drive the need for invested areas to prioritise demonstrating value and impact on key KPIs, which is where we believe we can help the most.”

What is Keepler’s vision regarding technological changes in the short and medium term? What should organisations focus on?

“AI is increasingly integrated with data analytics, improving the usability and operation of data platforms. As business needs become more sophisticated, it is imperative to have modern storage technologies that can handle large volumes of information efficiently and cost-effectively. That is why we continue to bet on the public cloud.

“Furthermore, AI and Generative AI have evolved beyond simply augmenting human capabilities. These systems can now make decisions and execute actions autonomously through Intelligent Agents. We see these Intelligent Agents as a solution that will become highly relevant for organisations seeking to make complex processes more efficient and optimised, allowing for significant acceleration through automation. That will also enable users to interact with data in a way that is both sophisticated and easy to use.

“Data governance is also critical to ensuring that information is managed securely, efficiently, and in accordance with the company’s strategic objectives. Designing an adequate data strategy is the foundation of successful AI projects, guaranteeing that an organisation has the necessary structure for success in AI investments. Based on this, we have extended our capabilities to cover this process phase and thus provide an end-to-end service.”

What are the keys to successful Artificial Intelligence projects?

“We identify two factors that organisations must consider to implement these projects successfully.

“The first is to approach AI as a comprehensive plan, not as a set of isolated use cases. This allows the company to structure the transformation process more efficiently, both at a cultural and technological level and facilitates knowledge management. Furthermore, this strategic vision leads to a higher return on investment and better resource utilization.

“Once the plan is in place, the most crucial thing is to prepare data ready for AI, which implies that all the information needed to train the models is available and that the data quality is adequate to guarantee optimal results.”

Measuring AI’s impact on the organisation is one of the main challenges for most decision-makers involved in transformation. How can this challenge be faced, and how can the impact be measured?

“There are two approaches to understanding AI: one views it as a technological capability available to business users, while the other sees it as an engine of business transformation with well-defined objectives.

“In the first case, investment in AI will always be questioned. In the latter, the return on investment will be clear, and the cost will be justified. At Keepler, we are committed to continuously assessing AI’s value, using standardised tools for its measurement and implementation. We are committed to ensuring that the CDO role can effectively measure and communicate the value generated by AI.”

We are still in the exploration phase of GenAI technology. Right now, use cases largely focus on content generation. Are there any other applications worth exploring?

“Clearly, Intelligent Agents play a crucial role. These agents are to Generative AI what microservices are to software development. At Keepler, we are already collaborating with clients to create networks of intelligent agents that coordinate the efficient execution of business processes. These Agents use generative AI to communicate in natural language and process unstructured data and interact with applications and databases to execute actions autonomously.”

Which industries can extract the most benefits from Generative AI and what paradigm shift does it represent?

“All industries can benefit from generative AI. As content creation becomes a core business function, the positive impact will be even greater. Across departments in any industry, we see marketing and sales using generative AI to automate the creation of proposals and promotional materials. Operations departments use it to consult large volumes of operating manuals and regulatory documents. In customer service, generative AI simplifies contract review, while data teams use it to query complex databases through natural language. Finally, development departments apply it to optimize and improve the source code of applications.”

There is considerable debate about the jobs that Generative AI can eliminate, but its implementation will also generate new roles specialised in its use that can provide more value to companies. What is Keepler’s vision in this regard?

“A strong data culture and education is essential to ride the wave of AI-based automation successfully. This knowledge allows people to identify where to apply AI and what outcome to expect. Without that understanding, AI can be perceived as a threat rather than a powerful tool.

“We encourage our clients to train in AI and support them in the change management process. In the organisations where we carry out this work, AI adoption is significantly greater, and its impact is valued positively both at a business and personal levels, strengthening its acceptance and effectiveness.”

How is Keepler addressing the growth of AI and Generative AI and how is it integrating it into its client service offering?

“Artificial intelligence has been a fundamental part of our portfolio since the launch of Keepler in 2018, allowing us to develop all the necessary capabilities to apply AI in our clients’ critical business processes. Thanks to this strong foundation, we have quickly incorporated generative AI into our offering.

“Most importantly, we have identified the importance of measuring the value that AI brings to the business. Therefore, we now offer our clients a comprehensive service that ranges from the definition of AI and Generative AI strategies to their complete implementation in production environments.”

What are your predictions for next year regarding AI?

“In 2025, Generative AI will integrate with traditional AI, expanding its use beyond merely explaining or informing users towards autonomous decision-making and undertaking independent actions. Companies will develop Intelligent Agents capable of coordinating with each other, allowing complex workflows with minimal or no human intervention.

“This outlook makes 2025 a pivotal year for companies to begin monetising AI. This is essential in the short term, as it will allow organisations to continue their natural evolution towards becoming true companies driven by data and AI.

“Although doubts about these investments still persist, our experience working with large organisations shows that business areas are increasingly better prepared to generate realistic demand for solutions based on data and AI, supported by a concrete return on investment plan. At Keepler, we work closely with businesses to co-create their strategic improvement plans based on AI, in addition to having the capability to implement these cases and measure the real return on investment.”