The AI Advantage: Making Products Easier to Access
Most companies exploring generative AI are asking the wrong questions. Instead of focusing on how AI can improve their products or automate internal tasks, they should be looking at how it can make their products easier to access. The companies that will win the AI race aren’t necessarily those with the best products, but those that make their products most accessible.
A Lesson from Domino’s
Domino’s Pizza didn’t start out as a tech company, but it became one by focusing on digital transformation early on. In the mid-2000s, they created innovative ordering systems, including one of the first pizza tracker apps, voice ordering, and even ordering through Twitter. Their strategy wasn’t just about ordering pizza; it was about making the process frictionless. This approach paid off significantly. If you had invested $1,000 in Domino’s stock in 2010, it would be worth far more than the same investment in tech giants like Amazon, Apple, or Google.
Domino’s success wasn’t because their pizza was dramatically better, but because they solved a human problem: hunger and impatience. They made it easy to track orders, customize pizzas, and get them delivered without hassle. Convenience was their real product.
The Power of Convenience in AI
As generative AI tools become more powerful, companies are racing to build smarter, faster, and more impressive systems. However, if they overlook usability, they risk losing. Customers care about ease of use, customization, and getting what they want without complexity.
The next winners in the AI race will be companies that apply AI not just to operations, but to the customer experience. For example, Allstate is using AI to help customers understand their insurance coverage faster and file claims more easily. Procter & Gamble is testing AI to predict when customers might need to restock essential items, making shopping more convenient.
Potential AI Winners
Some of the most compelling players in the AI race aren’t traditional tech companies, but those serving everyday consumers. Walmart is testing drone deliveries and AI-assisted inventory systems to get products to customers faster. Canva has made professional-grade visual creation accessible to non-designers through its platform and AI features.
Other potential winners could be companies that make bold moves to simplify customer experiences. For instance, Starbucks could use AI to offer personalized drink suggestions based on a customer’s schedule, mood, or weather. Southwest Airlines could use AI to help travelers rebook flights easily when their plans change.
The Path to Success
The secret to winning the AI race lies in understanding the customer’s journey and removing hurdles. Businesses should ask themselves: What is it like for someone to get our product or service today? Where are they confused or delayed? Generative AI can help answer these questions by simplifying complex instructions, creating customized experiences, and anticipating customer needs.
Supporting the AI Journey Internally
HR departments can play a crucial role by training employees to use AI tools effectively, encouraging teams to look at service access, and embedding AI fluency into their development programs. A simple yet effective exercise is to ask: “If someone had to use our product or service today without talking to a human, how long would it take them to succeed?”
The Key to Winning
Curiosity is still the key to winning the AI race. Companies that outperform others will be those asking better questions, not just building better technology. The next winner may not be a tech company, but a brand that figures out how to remove one more step, one more delay, or one more frustration from the customer experience.
