EP.10 | The AI Ship Has Sailed – Where Are You?

AI Readiness Podcast: 10 Out of 10 – AI Tools, Time-Saving Wins & Business-Ready AI StrategyEpisode SummaryIn this milestone 10th episode of the AI Readiness Podcast, Lucy and Andrew celebrate reaching double digits while diving into a rich conversation about the latest in AI tools, practical use cases, and the cultural shifts needed for adoption. From ChatGPT 4.5's newest features to the heated debate around AI-authored writing, they bring their signature wit and insight to bear on the real challenges facing organisations right now.Special guest Mark Brewster, CEO and Founder of Explori, joins the conversation to share how his global SaaS business has embedded AI from both a technical and cultural perspective. His candid take on trust, experimentation, compliance, and long-term value offers a playbook for any leader looking to make AI stick.Guest ProfileMark Brewster is the CEO and founder of Explori, a global SaaS company specialising in performance metrics and benchmarking within the events industry. With over 13 years of experience, Mark has led Explori through the evolution of AI, building trust-based internal systems while embedding cutting-edge large language models directly into their platform to drive client value and save thousands of hours in labour.Key TakeawaysChatGPT 4.5 in the Wild: Enhanced memory, better reasoning, and image processing – but has it wowed users yet?Authenticity vs. Efficiency in AI Writing: When does AI-written content cross the line – or does it?Onboarding Reinvented with AI: Legal firms are reimagining welcome journeys through CEO videos, chatbots and culture-focused content.From 1 to 10 Hours Saved per Week: Why some teams gain more than others from AI training programmes.Explori’s AI Strategy: How Mark Brewster built an in-house AI engine that delivers scalable value, compliance, and internal trust.Questions Asked and Answer SummariesWhat made AI a priority for Explori, and what challenges or advantages have you experienced?Mark shares that Explori adopted AI back in 2019 to address labour-intensive tasks like thematic text analysis. Initially leveraging third-party tools, the business later transitioned to a fully integrated LLM-based solution to scale efficiency across their SaaS platform. The result: enhanced consistency, reduced human error, and greater job satisfaction.How did you bring your leadership and wider team along on the AI journey?Mark highlights that the leadership team was already seeking solutions, which eased adoption. Cultural resistance was minimal due to the existing alignment around solving recurring problems with data processing. The biggest hurdle? Ensuring airtight compliance and data security.How do you balance AI experimentation with risk and compliance?Explori created a robust internal AI policy, guided by their in-house data compliance experts. They clearly defined where freedom to experiment was allowed and where data-related caution was non-negotiable. This clarity empowered team members to explore generative AI tools responsibly.Which generative AI tools does your team use?Mark personally uses ChatGPT daily, particularly for strategic thinking, communications, and learning. Perplexity is gaining traction across the team too, praised for its research capability and citation-led answers.What’s your advice for SMEs sitting on the AI fence?Mark urges smaller businesses to move quickly: “The ship has sailed.” Delaying AI adoption risks losing competitive advantage. If internal knowledge is lacking, he advises bringing in a specialist to help navigate safely and confidently.How has embedding AI into your product added customer value?Mark describes how Explori replaced...