100 days as AI entrepreneur
by Hanna Kahanpää, CEO at Ai4Value Oy
In autumn 2023 I became an AI entrepreneur. It was not really planned, but that’s what happened.
Now, after passing the milestone of 100 days as entrepreneur and CEO, it is a good point of time to look back.
The biggest surprise for me has been the pace of AI development. The development of generative AI, especially ChatGPT, has been just overwhelming. We have had several “latest AI developments” sessions with the team and each time we have been amazed at the number and scale of news. It requires quite some effort to keep up with the latest developments.
It has also drawn my attention, how everyone is now concentrating on the developments, business opportunities and new tools within generative AI. It is important. But there are also big opportunities in machine learning outside generative AI. For example, master data cleaning and supply chain automation are areas where ‘old-school’ learning algorithms still work – with or without generative AI.
Large part of my time has been devoted to Ai4Value’s clients and to sales activities. But I wish it would have been even more. Another overwhelming aspect has namely been the amount of administrative tasks on my ToDo list. It’s not that I could not carry out them, but it is just taking so much time. Taking care of administrative tasks with companies is often quite straight forward, but when the public sector is involved, everything gets more complicated. I have done everything by the book, check. But isn’t there really any way to decrease this burden?
As the next step, Ai4Value is heading towards profitable growth. The target is to acquire new clients and implement more AI projects with our clients. And grow as a team including people with different backgrounds and areas of expertise. We want to be a team where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Our team described itself as “AI experts willing to learn new and helping clients to boost their businesses with AI”. That’s what we are and that’s what we promise to do.
It’s well known that entrepreneurs usually work a lot. I don’t think I make a difference there. But luckily there has been a lot of snow and cross-country skiing tracks in Espoo are well prepared. So on the skis and go. By the way, I recommend it to everyone; we Finns need to include more regular physical activity in our daily lives and skiing is a good way to do it. Suomi Liikkeelle!
To summarize it all in one sentence: It has been a hectic time, but I have enjoyed all of it!