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Getting Started With AI: A Practical Path Forward
2026-02-04 21:44:25| The Webmail Blog
Getting Started With AI: A Practical Path Forward jord4473 Wed, 02/04/2026 - 14:44 AI Insights Getting Started With AI: A Practical Path Forward February 5, 2026 By Madhavi Rajan, Head of Product Strategy, Research and Operations, Rackspace Technology Link Copied! 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This article outlines a phased approach to AI adoption, from improving operations to enhancing customer experiences and unlocking new revenue. Starting with AI can feel overwhelming. Headlines often focus on massive investments by global enterprises building or consuming frontier models at scale. For most organizations, however, that level of GPU-heavy infrastructure is neither required nor practical. If youre not running large-scale production models, the broader AI ecosystem doesnt need to dictate where you begin. Across the cloud landscape, organizations are at very different stages of AI adoption. While Fortune 100 companies invest billions in in-house development, many organizations in the Russell 2000 and beyond are focused on building practical capabilities that help them stay competitive. The question most leaders ask is straightforward: Where do I begin my AI journey? A useful way to answer that question is to think in phases. Most organizations move through three broad stages of AI adoption: operational efficiency, customer-facing experiences and new revenue streams. The level of investment required depends on several factors. These include compute, network and storage needs, the type of models in use, workload volume, organizational readiness and the phase of adoption. Understanding these variables early helps teams focus on use cases that deliver value without unnecessary complexity. Phase 1: Operational efficiency Organizations of all sizes struggle with inefficiencies caused by fragmented data and disconnected systems. These silos slow decision-making and can create costly errors. In some cases, businesses continue paying vendors months after a contract has ended simply because systems do not talk to each other. Using AI to improve operational efficiency across functions such as IT, finance, HR, supply chain, procurement and sales is often the lowest-risk, highest-impact starting point. These use cases are internal, measurable and closely tied to day-to-day productivity. The challenge is not a lack of data, but where that data lives. Critical information is often trapped in separate systems and supported by institutional knowledge that does not scale. When introducing AI, you need to be clear about intent. The goal is not to replace roles, but to remove friction so people can focus on higher-value work. Many established enterprises carry years of technical debt across product, operations, customer success and go-to-market systems. Simply buying an AI copilot rarely solves that problem. Off-the-shelf tools alone cannot bridge disconnected data or deliver meaningful ROI. Real value comes from applying AI on top of an organizations own data and processes. Consider a typical services business. Supply chain data lives in one system, customer records in a CRM and contracts in a homegrown application. The result is a collection of dashboards that offer limited insight into utilization, customer health or revenue trends. AI can act as an intelligence layer across these systems. It can surface which customers are growing, highlight utilization patterns and support scenario modeling. ROI becomes tangible through faster insights, fewer spreadsheets and better decisions. Speed to value also matters. How quickly do teams see results once a model is deployed? In one finance organization, analysts reduced time spent wrangling spreadsheets by roughly 40% with the help of an AI assistant. That time shifted to scenario modeling and analysis, where human judgment delivers the most value. Completing this phase gives organizations a clearer view of what their AI workloads require and how those capabilities can eventually extend to customer-facing value. Phase 2: Customer-facing experiences As AI matures, personalization becomes a key driver of customer retention. Buying AI tools does not equal adoption. AI must deliver specific business outcomes to matter. While automation can support customization, true personalization requires context, judgment and empathy. This applies across both B2C and B2B environments. In financial services, for example, some organizations use AI to assemble client intelligence that includes recent activity, potential opportunities and emerging risks. That insight allows teams to personalize interactions, anticipate needs and identify growth opportunities earlier. Continuous monitoring of customer consumption patterns helps organizations anticipate change. When paired with alerting and recommendations, customer-facing teams can deliver more relevant outreach, predict demand shifts and align offerings more closely to customer goals. This is especially valuable in subscription and recurring revenue models. With the right foundation, teams can enter every customer interaction better informed and more precise. Data, process insight and market context come together, enabling employees to move beyond routine tasks and focus on deeper, strategic engagement. Phase 3: Embedding AI into what you sell The first two phases help organizations improve how they operate and serve customers. The third phase is where AI becomes transformational, embedded into what you sell and directly driving new revenue. Success at this stage looks different by industry. In financial services, AI may streamline onboarding or fraud response while improving the customer experience. In other sectors, AI may become a differentiated product or service in its own right. This shift often requires new business models. Many AI-native companies tie pricing to outcomes rather than consumption alone. In these cases, AI is not just an internal capability, but a core part of the value proposition. Sustaining that value depends on culture and decision-making. AI influences the full lifecycle, from product development to billing and supply chain operations. Real impact only emerges when teams align across functions. While AI excitement dominated recent conversations, the next phase will be defined by how effectively you translate AI into practical execution and measurable outcomes. How Rackspace Technology can help Turning AI ambition into results requires the right foundation, governance and operational support. Rackspace Technology helps organizations design, deploy and manage AI solutions that align to real business goals, whether the focus is efficiency, customer experience or new growth opportunities. With deep expertise across hybrid cloud, data platforms and AI operations, Rackspace provides a structured path from experimentation to production. Learn more about how Rackspace supports AI initiatives here. Tags: AI Insights
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Community Impact 2025: A Global Year of Giving Back
2026-02-02 16:49:06| The Webmail Blog
Community Impact 2025: A Global Year of Giving Back jord4473 Mon, 02/02/2026 - 09:49 Culture & Talent Community Impact 2025: A Global Year of Giving Back February 13, 2026 by Lindsey Stich, Talent Management Program Manager, Rackspace Technology Link Copied! Recent Posts Community Impact 2025: A Global Year of Giving Back February 13th, 2026 Turning AI into Measurable Outcomes with Private Cloud February 12th, 2026 How Proactive Threat Hunting Stopped INC Ransom Before the Alert February 9th, 2026 Getting Started With AI: A Practical Path Forward February 5th, 2026 Effective Housekeeping With Rackspace Managed Snapshot Cleanup January 29th, 2026 Related Posts Culture & Talent Community Impact 2025: A Global Year of Giving Back February 13th, 2026 AI Insights Turning AI into Measurable Outcomes with Private Cloud February 12th, 2026 Cloud Insights How Proactive Threat Hunting Stopped INC Ransom Before the Alert February 9th, 2026 AI Insights Getting Started With AI: A Practical Path Forward February 5th, 2026 Cloud Insights Effective Housekeeping With Rackspace Managed Snapshot Cleanup January 29th, 2026 In 2025, Rackers worldwide turned compassion into action, volunteering time, supporting critical causes and strengthening communities through global impact programs. At Rackspace, Community Impact isnt just a program its who we are. It reflects our core value of compassion and our belief that when Rackers give back, we strengthen the communities where we live and work while deepening our connection to one another and to our mission. Every hour and every dollar Rackers give is a testament to our shared belief that we can make a difference together. Our collective generosity not only changes lives in our communities but also strengthens the bonds that make Rackspace truly special, said Michelle Peterson, President of the Rackspace Foundation. Throughout 2025, Rackers around the world turned compassion into action. From volunteering time to supporting critical causes, Rackers showed whats possible when we lead with the heart. Here are a few highlights: Rack Gives Back Volunteer Time Off Rack Gives Back is our flagship volunteer program, providing Rackers 40 hours of Volunteer Time Off (VTO) each year to support the causes they care about most. Over the course of the year, Rackers dedicated 17,341 hours equal to 2,167 days supporting local nonprofits, global service events and meaningful community initiatives. From food banks and school partnerships to disaster relief and mentorship programs, Rackers used their VTO to give back in ways that were meaningful to them and impactful for their communities. Rackspace Foundation In 2025, the Rackspace Foundation expanded its impact globally, extending support to educationfocused organizations outside of the United States and deepening its commitment to strengthening communities wherever Rackers live and work. Contributions to The Rackspace Foundation totaled $223K for the year. The funds support building stronger communities through education, with a special focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). By investing in local schools and education-focused organizations, the Foundation helps create opportunities for future innovators while reinforcing Rackspaces commitment to learning, access, and long-term community impact. Racker2Racker This year marked the launch of Racker2Racker, further expanding our Community Impact efforts by creating a new way for Rackers to support one another during times of unexpected financial hardship. Funded by Rackers, for Rackers, Racker2Racker is a peer-to-peer assistance program designed to ensure no one has to navigate difficult moments alone. In its first year, 275 donors raised $16,342, demonstrating the strength of our culture and the care Rackers have for one another. By adding Racker2Racker to our portfolio of Community Impact programs, we extended our impact inward as well as outward reinforcing that compassion at Rackspace starts with taking care of our own. Making a Difference Where It Matters Most Throughout the year, Rackers united around impactful events that supported communities across the globe. Marc Nourani Memorial Food Drive: Rackers served 400 families (1,400 individuals total) distributing 39,870 pounds of food and included a $12,500 company donation. Tech or Treat: Rackers raised $30K to support STEM education for the next generation of technologists. Kerr County Flood Relief: Rackers provided $35,800 in aid to families impacted by severe flooding. SOS Childrens Villages: Rackers in India hosted Independence Day celebrations. Child Rights and You: Rackers in India mentored teens in Pune on digital safety and future aspirations. Foundation for Excellence: Rackers in India supported students seeking higher education in STEM. Cancer Patients Aid Association: Rackers in India supported cancer patients who do not have access to traditional cancer treatments due to funding constraints. The Poppy Appeal: Rackers in the UK raised funds which support the Royal British Legions vital work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families. Munich Food Bank: Rackers in Germany supported an effort that collected more than 396,800 pounds of food and helped distribute it across 30 distribution points, reaching 22,000 people in need. Hacker School: Rackers in Germany helped promote digital literacy for children, supporting efforts to reduce inequality by mentoring students, teaching basic programming skills, and introducing them to career paths in IT. Looking Ahead 2025 was a year of impact and inspiration. With the continued evolution of our Community Impact programs including the globalization of the Rackspace Foundation and the addition of Racker2Rackers were building momentum for even greater contributions in 2026. Giving back is how we put our values into action every day. Thank you for showing the world what Rackers can do when we come together. Learn more about Rackspaces culture here. Tags: Culture & Talent
Category: Telecommunications