Reworked: Why AI Can’t Fix a Broken Foundation
Stop Using AI to Hide Your Broken Processes
Our Founder, Melissa Copeland, was recently featured in Reworked for an essential discussion on the hidden risks of the generative AI gold rush. In the article by David Barry, Melissa joins other industry leaders to warn organizations against a dangerous trend: using AI as a "bandage" for fundamental operational flaws.
The Myth of the "Quick Fix"
At Blue Orbit Consulting, we see it often—the temptation to plug AI into a painful process hoping the technology will "learn" its way out of the chaos. But as Melissa explains in the piece, this strategy frequently backfires. Without clean data and well-documented workflows, AI doesn't solve problems; it amplifies dysfunction.
Melissa shared a striking example of this in action: customer-facing GenAI loops. When a system is fed faulty data, it often traps users in frustrating cycles—eventually forcing them to call a human agent anyway. Instead of saving time, the poorly implemented AI adds a layer of friction that leaves the organization worse off than before.
Foundations First: Data and Documentation
The conversation reinforces a principle we advocate for every BOC client: Technology won't hide broken workflows; it exposes them. Successful deployment requires two non-negotiables:
Upstream Data Quality: "The biggest flaw is broken upstream data," Melissa notes. If the inputs are contradictory, the AI’s conclusions will be too.
Process Ownership: A major governance gap in many firms is the lack of a dedicated owner for the GenAI capability. Without accountability for the inputs and outputs, AI becomes a "black box" of errors.
Our editorial take is simple: Don't let the allure of automation distract you from the unglamorous work of fixing your foundation. You cannot build sustainable innovation on top of tribal knowledge or messy data.