Helping organizations become AI ready: How Andrew Burgess cuts through the AI hype

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere.

It is writing emails, generating images, summarizing meetings, answering customer questions, and finding its way into almost every product and service we use.

But for many organizations, one question remains difficult to answer:

Where do we actually start?

For AI strategist and advisor Andrew Burgess, helping organizations answer that question has become his work.

Through his consultancy, Greenhouse AI, Andrew advises businesses, charities, museums, financial institutions and public organizations on how to adopt AI responsibly, strategically and effectively.

In a world increasingly dominated by AI headlines, fear and hype, his approach is refreshingly practical.

Andrew Burgess at a glance

• Business: Greenhouse AI
• Location: United Kingdom
• Specialization: AI strategy, AI ethics, AI implementation and advisory
• Author:The Executive Guide to Artificial Intelligence
• Clients include: museums, charities, financial institutions and large organizations

• Website:greenhouse.ai
  
   

From outsourcing to artificial intelligence

Andrew’s career did not begin in AI.

Before becoming an AI advisor, he worked in the outsourcing world, helping companies understand business processes, automation and operational change. Over time, that work naturally moved into robotic process automation, data science and, eventually, artificial intelligence.

Today, after more than a decade working in AI, Andrew occupies an unusual position in the market.

He is not only an advisor.

He can build as well.

“I’m an advisor who can actually get their hands dirty and build things as well.”

That combination of strategic thinking and technical capability allows Andrew to support organizations at different stages of their AI journey.

For some clients, that means developing an AI strategy. For others, it means exploring AI ethics, building governance frameworks, identifying practical use cases or developing AI applications directly.

The technology may change, but the goal remains the same: helping organizations understand where AI can create genuine value.

 

Before ChatGPT and after ChatGPT

Few industries have changed as quickly as artificial intelligence.

When Andrew first started working in the field, AI was still seen as highly technical and inaccessible. It was something many people associated with research labs, specialist teams and large technology companies.

“AI was this activity that only a few people could do. It was in the domain of the techno elite.”

That changed dramatically with the rise of generative AI.

Before tools like ChatGPT entered the mainstream, many organizations knew AI existed, but few felt direct pressure to act. Then, almost overnight, AI became something anyone could open in a browser or on a smartphone.

“Before November 2022 things were busy. Afterwards it went completely crazy.”

That accessibility transformed the conversation.

AI was no longer only a technical topic. It became a boardroom topic, a workplace topic and a public topic.

Organizations no longer ask whether AI matters. They ask what they should do about it.

“Boards are saying: we think we should be using AI, but we’re not quite sure where to start.”

For Andrew, that is exactly where strategy becomes essential.

AI fatigue is real

As AI entered the mainstream, enthusiasm was quickly followed by concern.

Stories about automation, job losses, misinformation, copyright, deepfakes and security risks now dominate much of the public conversation around AI.

Andrew understands those concerns, but he also believes the discussion can easily become distorted.

“AI has become a bit of a whipping boy for everything else.”

For him, the most valuable AI projects are not necessarily the ones that replace people. They are the ones that help people make better decisions, discover new insights and work more effectively.

That is why he often focuses on what he describes as AI for good.

“The AI I focus on helps people make better decisions and gives them insights they didn’t have before.”

In practice, that can mean helping charities understand their data, helping museums improve operations, or helping organizations identify where AI can support employees rather than simply automate tasks away.

For Andrew, the most important question is not “How do we use AI?”

It is:

What problem are we trying to solve, and is AI the right tool to solve it?

“Anyone with a browser or smartphone now has access to the most powerful AI models in the world.”

Standing out in an overcrowded AI market

The explosion of AI has created another challenge.

Everyone is now talking about it.

Every day, new tools, articles, videos, webinars and expert opinions appear online. Some are useful. Many are not.

For an independent advisor like Andrew, standing out in such a crowded field requires more than simply posting more often.

It requires credibility.

It requires proof.

And it requires knowing when not to add to the noise.

“You have to be very selective and focus on quality rather than posting every day.”

Rather than chasing every trend, Andrew focuses on demonstrating expertise through real work. His clients, projects and published writing help show the depth behind his advice.

His book, The Executive Guide to Artificial Intelligence, now in its second edition, also plays an important role in establishing that credibility.

Why websites still matter in an AI world

For someone working at the forefront of AI, Andrew remains clear about the importance of something much more traditional: a strong website.

Most of his business comes through networking, referrals and existing relationships. But his website still plays a valuable role.

It validates his expertise.

It explains what he does.

It gives potential clients somewhere to go when they want to understand whether he is the right person to help them.

“The website sits there and does its job.”

For Andrew, a website is not only a digital business card. It is a trust signal.

“People can go there and see that what I say I do is actually what I do.”

His website also includes an AI Readiness Assessment, a short questionnaire that helps organizations assess their current AI maturity and identify areas for improvement.

Sometimes, it acts as an entry point for new conversations. Other times, Andrew uses it directly within client projects.

Either way, it gives the website a practical role beyond simply presenting information.

 

Why a .AI domain mattered

For a business focused entirely on artificial intelligence, the right domain extension mattered.

Andrew chose a .AI domain because it immediately connects his online presence with the work he does.

In fact, it was the search for a .AI domain that first brought him to EuroDNS.

“The .AI domain was actually what brought me to EuroDNS.”

As someone who manages much of his own website and technical setup, Andrew also values tools that are straightforward and reliable.

From managing his domain to working with the backend of his website, ease of use matters.

Especially when his own time is better spent helping organizations make sense of AI.

Building AI opportunities for everyone

One of Andrew’s most interesting current projects is not only commercial.

It is social.

As AI becomes more powerful, Andrew is concerned that its benefits could become concentrated among a relatively small group of people and organizations.

Large technology companies have resources, expertise and access. Many smaller or more vulnerable communities do not.

That is why Andrew is exploring ways to make basic generative AI training more accessible to people who may otherwise be left behind.

That includes refugees, people with disabilities, people with learning difficulties and other underserved groups.

For Andrew, the future of AI should not only belong to large companies or highly technical teams.

It should be accessible to more people.

“The future of AI should not only belong to the people already closest to technology.”

Looking ahead

After more than a decade working in artificial intelligence, Andrew remains optimistic.

Not because AI will solve every problem.

And not because every organization needs to become an AI company.

But because organizations that approach AI thoughtfully have an opportunity to make better decisions, improve services and unlock new possibilities.

In an industry often dominated by hype, that pragmatic perspective feels increasingly valuable.

For Andrew, helping organizations become AI ready is not about chasing trends.

It is about understanding the technology, asking better questions and applying AI where it can make a meaningful difference.

And in a world where almost everyone is talking about AI, that kind of clarity may be exactly what organizations need most.