Skip to main content

AI Adoption

Table of Contents​

Introduction​

The Cloud Adoption Framework for AI offers a comprehensive and structured process to guide both startups and enterprises in successfully adopting AI solutions, including generative AI like Microsoft Copilot.

The framework supports organizations in identifying AI use cases, choosing the right technologies, and building effective AI workloads on Azure. It also provides critical guidance for governance, management, and security — helping you deploy AI solutions responsibly and sustainably.

The AI adoption process is divided into six key phases, each designed to address a specific aspect of adopting AI at scale. These phases are: AI Strategy, AI Plan, AI Ready, Govern AI, Manage AI, and Secure AI. Each phase features tailored checklists for both startups and enterprises, ensuring that organizations of all sizes receive actionable guidance suited to their needs. The phases move from defining your vision and planning, through technical readiness, governance, and operational management, to securing your AI assets and infrastructure.

The AI Adoption Process is structured into six key phases:

  • AI Strategy: Define your AI objectives and align them with business outcomes.
  • AI Plan: Build an AI roadmap, assess skills, and initiate PoCs.
  • AI Ready: Prepare your platform, network, and architecture for AI workloads.
  • Govern AI: Establish AI governance policies and monitor risk.
  • Manage AI: Operate and optimize your AI workloads at scale.
  • Secure AI: Secure AI models, data, and infrastructure.

Key Considerations​

See the CAF AI Strategy section for key considerations when starting your AI journey.

Guidance​

We recommend using the official CAF AI adoption process, which includes checklists for startups and enterprises. This process spans all relevant areas including:

  • Strategy
  • Planning
  • Readiness
  • Governance
  • Management
  • Security

Each step is described in detail and linked in the Microsoft AI Adoption Guide.

Next Steps​

[!div class="nextstepaction"] Start with the AI Strategy

Contributors