Earlier this week, I had the privilege of closing out the AI+IM Regional Exchange in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 3, 2026. Hosted by AIIM Training Partner COR Concepts and sponsored by Metrofile, this one-day intensive brought together 50+ practitioners to tackle the real challenges of AI data readiness, intelligent document processing, and information management strategy. Here are some of my key takeaways.
As with any technology, we have learned that AI is most successful when it is connected to actual business needs and clearly defined desired business outcomes.
"Start with a business-first strategy, not an AI-first strategy," explained Paul Mullon during his session on developing an AI strategy.
Our 2025 Industry Watch: State of the Intelligent Information Management Industry report shows that the most popular use cases for AI in information management are automation, security monitoring, information governance policies, and content generation. The fastest-growing use cases for PLANNED adoption are auto-classification and metadata generation.
AI should be used only where it adds value. Paul challenged the audience to consider: Where can AI help with scale? Where can it reduce costs? Where can it improve accuracy? Where can it assist with predictions?
Information professionals are skilled at procurement. With skills in business analysis and deep familiarity with information management systems, they are uniquely equipped to assist in evaluating the return on investment and feasibility of AI solutions.
Paul noted that you should not "underestimate the costs of AI." AI, especially at an enterprise level, is not free and you should include ongoing operating costs in your ROI calculations.
According to the Industry Watch report, 66% of very prepared organizations have AI governance policies, compared to 44% overall. They established policies FIRST, before AI deployment.
Just as we started using privacy by design in software development, we need to now use "AI governance by design," said Paul Mullon.
Paul cautioned that "we are governing not to stop, but to apply guardrails." These guardrails help ensure an AI project and implementation stays figuratively on track, avoiding technical delays and compliance incidents.
The agenda was thoughtfully designed, moving from practical IDP implementations through strategic AI planning. Metrofile kicked off the morning with real South African case studies, showing what organizations have done and are doing with intelligent document processing. They followed with specific AI use cases in IDP, covering forms processing, OCR, ICR, and business intelligence.
What struck me was how the challenges faced by organizations in South Africa mirror what we're hearing worldwide. The fundamentals don't change based on geography. Whether you're in Johannesburg, London, or São Paulo, the question remains the same: how do we ensure our information is ready to fuel AI systems that deliver actual business value?
What became clear throughout the day in Johannesburg is that information management is no longer a back office function. It's a strategic enabler for AI success. The organizations that will win in the AI era are those that recognize their IM professionals as essential data curators, ensuring accurate, responsible, and trusted data for AI implementations.
To everyone who joined us in Johannesburg, thank you for your engagement, your questions, and your commitment to excellence in information management. The work you're doing matters more than ever.
If you want to accelerate your career in information management, I encourage you to join us later this month. Paul will be running a 9-hour CIP Prep Workshop February 24th through 26th, conducive to time zones in and near Africa. Three days, three hours each day, online via Teams. This is an intensive, focused prep workshop covering exam strategy and core principles.
Photo: Dylan Harbour, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons