Persistent, IIM Ahmedabad Launch AI Value Compass for Enterprise AI

Persistent Systems has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad to launch AI Value Compass, a decision framework for companies trying to move artificial intelligence projects from pilots to measurable business outcomes.

The framework is designed to help enterprises evaluate, prioritize and scale AI initiatives as adoption of generative AI and agentic AI accelerates.

Persistent said the tool assesses AI programs across five areas: business alignment, people readiness, operational integration, data preparedness, and risk and governance.

The collaboration combines Persistent’s work in enterprise technology transformation with IIM Ahmedabad’s management research.

Unlike technology-led road maps, the framework looks at AI adoption from a business-process perspective, focusing on whether companies are ready to absorb AI into operations, governance and decision-making.

Persistent said the study finds that the main barriers to AI value are organizational and operational rather than purely technological.

The framework is meant to help companies identify readiness gaps early, prioritize high-impact initiatives, strengthen data and governance foundations, and improve the predictability of AI-driven business outcomes.

The company is already using AI Value Compass in client engagements and plans to refine the framework through continued academic-industry work.

Persistent’s report page describes the framework as a way to move enterprise AI “from pilots to measurable value.”

“Enterprises have greater access to AI technologies today than ever before, and the focus is increasingly on making the right investment and execution choices at scale,” said Jaideep Vijay Dhok, Chief Operating Officer, Technology, Persistent. “As organizations advance in their AI journeys, structured approaches to assess readiness, sequence initiatives, and align AI efforts with business priorities are becoming more important.”

Dhok said AI Value Compass is designed to give leaders clarity as they pursue “disciplined, outcome-led AI execution” across the enterprise.

Ankur Sinha, Professor, Operations and Decision Sciences, IIM Ahmedabad, said many companies are still treating AI as a tool for local efficiency gains rather than strategic transformation.

“Despite rising investments in Artificial Intelligence, most businesses focus on localized efficiency gains rather than leveraging AI for strategic transformation,” Sinha said.

He said the joint study identifies gaps such as weak AI leadership, lack of strategic vision, unclear ownership and governance, and poorly defined success metrics.

The launch comes as Indian enterprises increase AI spending but face pressure to show measurable returns.

Persistent said the framework is intended to help companies move away from fragmented experimentation toward structured, outcome-led AI execution.

Persistent Systems is a global digital engineering and enterprise modernization company with more than 27,500 employees across 18 countries. The company provides services across software engineering, product development, data and analytics, cloud, customer experience and intelligent automation.