1 week ago
4
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
- Dabbling in AI doesn't have to be a cash-rich endeavor.
- Explore existing toolsets and open-source options.
- Use flexible cloud platforms to support rapid change.
It's easy to understand why the age of AI leaves some professionals feeling anxious. From the changing nature of work, to fears over the eradication of some roles, or the dread of your business being left behind by other firms that exploit AI more quickly, the rapid rise of emerging technology can sometimes feel like a shortcut to existential dread.
When you've limited money to spend on AI explorations, those fears can be accentuated. How can you keep pace with AI-enabled business transformation when your budget is tight?
Also: 90% of AI projects fail - here are 3 ways to ensure yours doesn't
The good news, according to the experts, is that professionals can successfully exploit AI, even when cash is tight. Here are five ways to dabble in AI cost-effectively.
1. Leverage what you've got
Nick Pearson, CIO at technology specialist Ricoh Europe, suggested it's important professionals don't reinvent the wheel, because some of the tools they're already paying for can support cost-effective AI explorations.
"This goes back to where I am right now, which is utilizing and leveraging what there already is -- and that approach is actually getting easier to a certain degree," he said.
Pearson gave ZDNET an example, suggesting most professionals running Microsoft in their organizations will already have Copilot embedded as part of their 365 licensing.
"So, if you're inside the workplace, there are already things you can do and capabilities you have," he said. "There's definitely a lot out there you can use."
Also: 5 ways you can stop testing AI and start scaling it responsibly in 2026
Pearson said it's an approach he takes in his own business.
"As a CIO, my job is to ensure we have the capabilities to run a sustainable business. Different companies have different affordability metrics," he said.
"You've got to look and go, 'Well, what's affordable and natural for our business?' That's a board conversation we have about AI -- and other professionals should take that approach, too."
2. Dip into open-source capability
Joel Hron, CTO at information services specialist Thomson Reuters, told ZDNET recently that his organization uses a mix of in-house models and off-the-shelf tools to power its AI innovations.
As well as advances in frontier labs at Big Tech firms, Hron and his team ensure the organization exploits its proprietary knowledge and assets -- and he advises other professionals to do the same.
"I honestly don't think I would focus on anything different," he said, when asked how he'd change his approach if his budget were much smaller.
"I wouldn't go training my own models and things like that if I didn't have resources to do it."
Also: How DeepSeek's new way to train advanced AI models could disrupt everything - again
Hron said one crucial thing for professionals to remember is that the open-source community around AI is just as prolific as the commercial IT industry.
"There are a lot of things you can do on basically no budget at all, leveraging open-source tools," he said.
"To build the intuition for where these things are going and to drive some general productivity, just start with what's available in the open-source community, even if you don't have any money. It helps show people what AI is capable of, what it's doing, and where these industries are going. And that intuition, I think, is valuable for anybody right now."
3. Exploit cloud services
Huy Dao, director of data and machine learning platform at Booking.com, said leveraging the cloud is the right way to support AI exploration, whether your budget is big or small.
"With the cloud, you don't have to invest so much money upfront," he said. "If your business idea becomes successful, you pay more. If your business idea isn't growing as quickly, then you don't pay as much."
Dao told ZDNET his company uses Snowflake as its cloud-based data platform, and the technology provides the scalability his team requires: "The more we use Snowflake, the more we pay; the less we use Snowflake, the less we pay."
Also: How to build better AI agents for your business - without creating trust issues
The simple message for professionals, suggested Dao, is that a small budget doesn't have to inhibit innovation in the age of AI and the cloud.
"In the past, you had to be a bigger company to get involved. Nowadays, you can start with a very small, cloud-based or OpenAI subscription, and you can get started there. And then the more you use, of course, the more you pay," he said.
"So, leverage cloud as much as you can, because it can give you that flexibility. And then also, if you are still skeptical about AI, move past that point because, if you're not getting involved, some other people will do it much better than you."
4. Focus on desired outcomes
Musidora Jorgensen, UK & Ireland country leader at technology specialist Freshworks, told ZDNET that the priority for cash-limited professionals is identifying the problem they're trying to solve.
"AI for the sake of it doesn't drive the outcomes that people want," she said. "So, home in on the problem you're trying to solve, the outcome you're looking for, and the efficiencies that AI can bring."
Also: 3 smart ways business leaders can build successful AI strategies - before it's too late
Jorgensen said that professionals should then ensure others in the organization use these AI investments to create the desired outcomes in their day-to-day roles.
"Supporting teams as they adopt AI and make their jobs more efficient, while freeing up their time to consider high-value problems they might want to solve, is really important," she said.
"Get that approach right, and you'll enable adoption, and the benefits will come from the AI you've selected."
5. Stay flexible to change
Thierry Martin, head of enterprise data and analytics at Toyota Motor Europe, said professionals with limited budgets and IT estates should exploit their in-built agility.
"Smaller companies can have an advantage, because they don't have the anchor of the legacy systems that bigger, older firms are pulling," he told ZDNET.
Martin encouraged professionals with limited budgets to create a simple approach to AI explorations that supports flexibility and maneuverability.
"Don't target 100%, target 80%," he said. "Don't shoot for the stars, because the moon is moving."
Also: 8 urgent updates your IT playbook needs to survive the AI era
He gave the example of MCP, an open-source standard created by Anthropic to connect AI applications to external systems. The rapid rise of this standard shows professionals must stay open to change.
"If you had been planning to release something last year, and then MCP took off, and your response was, 'Oh, we must stop everything and change direction,' it would then have taken more time to adjust," he said.
"Instead, say, 'Our aim is 80%.' The goal is always moving further away, so I think 80% is always good. And as you are moving, some new targets will arrive, so try to keep the road to your goal as straight as possible, so that you're not confusing people."
English (US) ·