One Year, Three Surprises: This CEO's Honest AI Reality Check

AI strategy and AI policy are no longer optional — especially if you build software for regulated industries and need to balance innovation, compliance, security, and real delivery standards.

In this episode of On the Block, Przemysław Koper, CEO at Espeo Software, shares a practical 1-year recap of implementing AI strategy and AI policy at Espeo Software. He explains why these two documents were introduced, what they changed in daily operations, where the biggest wins actually came from, and how to approach AI adoption without losing control over quality, governance, customer trust, or compliance.

You’ll hear why structured AI adoption matters so much now: companies want speed, efficiency, and better decision-making — but in real business, especially in regulated environments, AI cannot be rolled out chaotically. Przemysław breaks down the difference between AI strategy and AI policy, why both are necessary, and how they help align management, specialists, delivery teams, and customers around one clear direction. He also explains why Espeo chose a conservative-but-practical approach: adopt AI fast enough to stay competitive, but carefully enough to stay secure and compliant.

We also cover what happened after a full year of implementation:
➡️ Why the first major AI wins came from back-office operations, not software development
➡️ How AI improved efficiency in recruitment, reporting, finance, CRM workflows, and internal operations
➡️ Why software delivery required a slower and more cautious approach
➡️ How customer consent and compliance shape AI adoption in real projects
➡️ Why some business areas should remain intentionally human-led

If you’re a CEO, CTO, compliance leader, innovation manager, delivery leader, product owner, or decision-maker in fintech, healthcare, pharma, or any regulated sector — this episode gives you a practical framework for thinking about enterprise AI adoption the right way: governance first, value-driven execution second, and no shortcuts on trust, security, or quality.

Want to talk with Espeo Software about AI strategy, AI policy, secure AI implementation, or software delivery in regulated industries?

If you’re building digital products and want to adopt AI in a way that is practical, compliant, and aligned with your business reality:
💬 Talk to our team: https://espeo.eu/contact/
📂 See our case studies: https://espeo.eu/case-studies/
🔔 Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/@espeosoftware?sub_confirmation=1
🔗 Connect with Przemysław on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/przemyslawkoper/

00:00:00 – 1 year of AI strategy and AI policy at Espeo Software
00:00:18 – Why we introduced AI strategy and AI policy
00:00:54 – Innovation vs compliance in regulated industries
00:01:26 – The 3 pillars of our AI strategy
00:03:12 – AI champions, KPIs, and internal knowledge-sharing
00:03:42 – What the AI policy includes in daily operations
00:04:39 – Why these documents are now essential for organizations
00:05:53 – Biggest surprise after 1 year of AI implementation
00:06:08 – Why AI wins came first from the back office
00:07:34 – Why software development adoption was slower
00:08:18 – Compliance, customer consent, and safe AI use
00:09:12 – Where we intentionally limit AI use
00:10:03 – Why face-to-face relationships still matter in B2B
00:11:06 – How we decide whether AI can be used in a project
00:12:07 – 5 rules for choosing an AI tech stack
00:13:13 – 3 rules for using AI in software development
00:15:35 – 3 ways I use AI as a CEO
00:17:02 – Final thoughts

Видео One Year, Three Surprises: This CEO's Honest AI Reality Check канала On The Block (by Espeo Software)