When "doing things as usual" stops working

“We've always done it this way.”

How many times have you said this—or heard someone else say it—thinking you were protecting your company's identity and stability? After all, until recently, relying on tried-and-tested strategies and methods was really the safest choice. But today, in a rapidly evolving environment, habit risks becoming a limitation rather than a strength.

Despite the growth of digital technologies, many Italian companies are still wary of digital transformation. In 2025, European and national data indicate that only 8.2% of Italian companies actively use artificial intelligence, despite the market's strong growth. Among the main causes of reluctance are:

• Increasingly complex markets, difficult to interpret with the tools of the past;
• Fear of technology, perceived as complicated, insecure, and dependent on external suppliers;
• Chronic shortage of skilled digital personnel;
• Widespread belief that digital technology complicates rather than simplifies.

The result? Many SMEs end up adopting innovative technologies in a superficial way, without really exploiting them and continuing to prefer “homemade” solutions, such as Excel and PowerPoint.

Statistics show that many Italian SMEs are beginning to change their mindset and see technology as an opportunity. For example:

• According to the Digital Innovation Observatory in SMEs of the Politecnico di Milano, 67% of Italian SMEs increased their investment in digital technologies in 2024, with an average increase of 15% compared to the previous year.
• A survey by Confcommercio confirms that SMEs that have completed a digital transformation process have seen their turnover grow by an average of 23% compared to competitors that have not adopted this strategy.
• According to Deloitte's Digital Business Transformation 2025 report, 85% of European SMEs now consider digitalization a strategic priority, compared to 62% in 2022.
• Eurostat reports a significant increase in cloud usage among Italian SMEs: 72% in 2025 (up 18% from 2023), now close to the European average of 78%.
• Meta's Global State of Small Business Report reveals that 59% of global small businesses have stepped up their use of digital tools to communicate with customers and suppliers; as many as 47% believe that without digital technologies, they would not have survived the recent economic crises.

These figures leave no room for doubt: digitalization is no longer an option, it is a necessary step to continue growing and thriving in a rapidly changing environment. But to truly do so, it is not enough to simply purchase technology: you need to change the way you think, engage your team, and accompany people throughout the transformation process.

At the heart of digital transformation platforms is not just automation, but concrete support for decision-making.

Modern Decision Intelligence systems, integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics, enable raw data to be transformed into concrete, ready-to-use insights.
This approach, based on Hybrid AI logic—i.e., the combination of predictive models and human expertise—shifts decision-making from individual intuition to shared data-driven expertise, enabling faster, more accurate choices supported by simulated scenarios.

Decision Intelligence does not just show data and statistics, but helps to clearly understand the “why” behind every choice. Through simulated scenarios, it allows you to explore the consequences of decisions before you implement them, providing a clear and tangible picture of their impact. This makes it easier to overcome mistrust and fears, reducing internal resistance and creating an open and change-oriented corporate culture.

It is not just about technology, therefore, but a change management tool (the set of processes, methods, and practices with which an organization manages change in a structured way, whether technological, organizational, or cultural) that accompanies people, clarifies doubts, and guides decision-making processes step by step, making the value of digital transformation concrete.

Those who succeed in adopting this new mindset not only overcome the trap of “doing things as usual,” but also achieve tangible and lasting results, becoming more resilient and ready to meet the challenges of the future.

WhAI was created precisely to dispel companies' mistrust of digital complexity. The platform has been designed to:

• Make decision-making clearer by connecting data and objectives without creating unnecessary layers of complexity.
• Translate information into practical choices, with the support of experts who assist entrepreneurs in evaluating scenarios.
• Adapt to the context: offer the right level of support, from rapid analysis to the most complex strategic decisions.

WhAI represents the meeting point between technology and human sensitivity: it does not replace the entrepreneur, but accompanies them in their decisions, transforming digital uncertainty into operational and strategic clarity.

This “tech + human” vision is the real driver of change: technology does not take away substance, but reinforces it, helping companies grow with greater clarity and confidence.

Want to understand how to apply Decision Intelligence to your business? Contact WhAI experts now: we will help you make every decision easier, clearer, and more confident.