Our advisory services

Our aim is to enable organisations to explore the potential of AI without having to first hire a complete team. Often the

• Data & AI strategy - identifying and prioritising AI opportunities in their organisation

• Data and AI platform design, build and deployment

• AI-based evaluation of initiatives, strategy and policy - from one off controlled assessments of changes to multidimensional systems, to real-time feedback and decision support for service providers, operators and managers

• AI risk identification and mitigation

• Partnering opportunities to build data and AI capabilities, access new data sources and co-develop new technology

• M&A due diligence for data and AI companies

Our Philosophy

Whilst recent advances in generative AI have dramatically increased general awareness of self-learning automated systems, our independent advisors have been developing, testing, adapting, and deploying AI since the onset of the millennium.  Getting value from AI requires not just knowledge of tools and technologies, but also experience in tweaking legacy systems, roles, incentives, business processes, and products to deploy innovation successfully.  This hands-on experience prevents you from heading down dead-end paths, boosts internal buy-in, reduces development costs and speeds time to impact.

How we work

Random Forest (RF) is a network of experienced data and business professionals who have worked and advised across many domains of the Australian data and technology economy.  

Before commencing an engagement one of our advisors will engage in a series of interviews to understand your broad business strategy, internal capabilities and specific obstacles.  This will take up to one month, is undertaken without charge, and will conclude with an offer of support. 

Included in this offer will be:

• Proposed priority initiatives to advance the use of data and AI in your organisation. These could include proofs of concept (POCs), business cases for more substantial initiatives, and

• Committed senior resources from our side to support these initiatives

• Required senior and junior resourcing from your side to progress the initiatives, as well as new hiring requirements.  We will also require the establishment of a data and AI initiative steering group at the c-suite level if this does not already exist 

• A fee proposal for our ongoing support.  One of our principals will be dedicated to the work for a minimum of 2 days a week for a minimum period of time - typically until we expect initiatives to start generating value.  

Once an engagement has been agreed, RF works with you to build a team to exectute the program of work. This could involve hiring new full-time staff, engaging contractors or commissioning an analytics provider. We provide extensive experience and support in undertaking any or all of these.

Initiatives are scoped under the direction of an internal business owner, and with the oversight of a steering group. Should business cases be required, we will support these in collaboration with your finance or PMO function.

A successful engagement results in a client operating, maintaining and enhancing its data and AI assets, creating ongoing value. We will maintain whatever involvement needed from our side to ensure this happens.

All RF projects maintain and adhere to the data governance and privacy rules set by data-providing organisations.