Siili’s Northstar Framework bridges this gap. Instead of theoretical roadmaps, Northstar delivers a working prototype of your AI-powered future and a structured roadmap to make it a reality.
1. AI in action, not just theory
With Northstar, we build a functional prototype of an organization’s AI future. This is not just a theoretical vision but an immersive experience where stakeholders can see, interact with, and understand how AI will change workflows, decision-making, and customer engagement.
Imagine a banking AI assistant that dynamically adjusts financial strategies for families, SMEs, and freelancers. Or an AI-powered customer support system that anticipates client needs and personalizes interactions in real-time. Northstar makes these ideas real, tangible, and testable before full-scale implementation.
2. Reverse-engineering success
Northstar uses backcasting, a methodology where we start with a clearly defined AI-powered future state and work backward to determine the precise steps needed to achieve it. This method:
- Identifies key milestones, enablers, and blockers before they become obstacles.
- Ensures that AI transformation efforts are focused on a bold vision, not just incremental progress.
- Aligns business units on a shared, strategic path toward an optimal AI-driven outcome.
3. Deliver confidence at scale: AI adoption across all levels
A major challenge in AI transformation is organizational alignment. While leadership may be enthusiastic about AI, middle management and operational teams often resist change due to uncertainty, lack of clarity, or concerns about job displacement.
Northstar bridges this gap by ensuring AI transformation is embraced across all levels. It provides:
- Boardroom-level alignment with a strategic AI vision that executives can champion.
- Operational clarity giving teams a clear understanding of how AI will enhance rather than disrupt workflows.
- A structured rollout plan ensuring AI is integrated seamlessly without disruption to business continuity.
4. AI as a systemic advantage
Many organizations limit AI to cost-cutting, automation, or efficiency gains. While these are valuable benefits, they miss the bigger picture—AI’s potential to completely reinvent business models, customer engagement, and decision-making.
Northstar turns AI into a transformational force by embedding it into:
- Business models – Creating new AI-driven revenue streams and value propositions.
- Customer relationships – Using AI as a financial, health, or productivity companion.
- Decision-making – Leveraging AI for real-time insights, automated governance, and proactive strategy adjustments.
Northstar vs traditional consulting
Most AI transformation approaches focus on either high-level strategy or front-end design, but Northstar combines tangible AI prototyping, deep business integration, and a structured execution roadmap to ensure AI becomes a real competitive advantage.
Hands-on prototyping instead of strategy PowerPoints
Most consulting firms provide AI strategy reports but lack tangible execution. Digital design firms focus on user experience but often don't integrate AI into business models. Northstar delivers working AI prototypes, allowing stakeholders to experience their AI-powered future firsthand. Each prototype is backed by a step-by-step backcasting roadmap, ensuring AI initiatives move directly from concept to execution.
AI as a relationship, not just a tool
Traditional AI implementations focus on automation and cost savings, treating AI as a backend efficiency tool. Design firms improve digital experiences but rarely integrate AI into financial decision-making. Northstar positions AI as an active financial partner, guiding and supporting customers in real time. This shifts companies from passive financial institutions to proactive growth partners, ensuring AI enhances customer relationships, not just internal operations.
De-siloing AI across business functions
Many AI transformations are fragmented, with separate projects for compliance, customer service, and risk management. This limits AI’s impact. Northstar integrates AI across all business functions, enhancing financial planning, customer engagement, and efficiency. By breaking down silos, AI becomes a core part of the organization, not just a collection of disconnected tools.
The concept car approach to future-proofing
Consulting firms rely on past benchmarks, leading to incremental improvements rather than real innovation. Design agencies create compelling UI concepts but often lack structured AI implementation strategies. Northstar applies the "concept car" approach, building a functional prototype of the company’s AI future and then backcasting a roadmap to achieve it. This ensures AI transformation is both ambitious and actionable, with clear steps toward implementation.
The three horizons of Northstar
Northstar's structured approach helps organizations avoid common pitfalls—such as overpromising short-term AI capabilities or underinvesting in long-term scalability. By aligning AI ambition with business reality, Northstar ensures that transformation happens at the right pace, with the right priorities, and with clear milestones to track progress.
If your company is serious about AI but unsure how to make it a reality, Siili Northstar is your answer. Let’s move beyond strategy and start building your AI-powered future—today.
About the author
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Petri Lattu Innovation Lead at Siili Solutions |
Petri Lattu is the Innovation Lead at Siili Solutions, where he helps businesses navigate the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation. With a background in design, technology, and business strategy, Petri specializes in bridging AI advancements with real-world applications, ensuring organizations maximize their AI potential.
At Siili, he plays a key role in demystifying AI, developing prototypes of future AI-driven organizations, and crafting practical strategies for AI adoption. His expertise lies in identifying meaningful opportunities amid the AI hype and guiding companies toward sustainable, high-impact AI integration.
Beyond his professional work, Petri is being raised by Lumen and Linus, his unruly kids and his brilliant and patient partner.