The AI Alpha: Boosting Portfolio Value Through Strategic AI Transformation
Presenter: Anthony Onesto
Chief People Officer and strategic advisor on technology transformation with 15+ years guiding companies through digital evolution.
Author Newsletter → AI in HR Today
Shopify CEO - "No New Hires"
In the news recently was the Shoptify CEO who tried to kill meetings in 2024 advising his leaders - "no new hires without proof that AI can't do the job"
This is what we call in HR task analysis, so everything old is new again.
  • Understand the tasks of each role and understand if they can be automated
  • Decided on what tools can provide automation
The expectation of investors, boards and CEOs will be that AI is not only built into their products and services, but also integrated within their organizations.
AI can enhance performance (alpha) and reduce costs (efficiency).
Why This Matters
87%
87% of businesses actively utilizing AI report noticeable improvements in revenue and cost reductions
92%
Research indicates that 92% of PE professionals recognize the positive impact of AI on portfolio valuation.
Predictive analytics being the top driver.
93%
93% of firms anticipating substantial benefits from AI implementation
HR departments represent a prime opportunity for AI-driven value creation. The right strategy can unlock substantial portfolio growth.
The AI Paths
1
Alpha Path
Accelerate human performance and drive impact through augmentation (think humans + machines)
2
Efficiency Path
Replace tasks, roles, and costs with automation to improve bottom lines (think machines + humans)
I'll explore each path and provide actionable strategies.
AI Automation Paths - Impact
Alpha Path
Empowering people with AI to boost revenue, performance, and strategic advantage.
  • Revenue lift
  • Performance enhancement
  • Strategic advantage
Efficiency Path
Replacing repetitive tasks with automation to reduce costs and streamline operations.
  • Cost reduction
  • Operational streamlining
  • Margin improvement
The path you select should align with your portfolio company's strategic goals and market position.
Alpha Example – Revenue Acceleration
AI crafts personalized prospect emails tailored to customer data and behavior, streamlining outreach.
Real-time CRM updates keep sales teams informed and ready with accurate data.
AI predicts deal win-rates to prioritize high-value sales opportunities effectively.
Intelligent automation boosts sales productivity, accelerating revenue growth and driving alpha.
Suzy leverages digital breadcrumbs and LLMs to summarize calls and alert teams in Slack.
Product connection allows CS teams to understand product usuage for digital products and connect to revenue, cross and up-sells.
Alpha Implementation Steps
Map High-Impact Tasks
Identify sales activities with greatest revenue potential
Pilot AI Co-Pilots
Deploy tools like Gong and HubSpot AI with key teams
Upskill Workforce
Train teams on prompt engineering and AI collaboration
Implementation typically takes time to show measurable results. Start with high-performing teams for faster adoption.
Efficiency Path - Task Analysis Framework for AI Automation
  1. Strategic Value Assessment: Evaluate tasks by revenue impact and strategic importance to business objectives.
  1. Complexity Analysis: Determine if tasks require creative judgment or follow predictable patterns.
  1. Data Readiness Check: Assess if sufficient quality data exists to train AI models effectively.
  1. ROI Calculation: Compare implementation costs against projected EBITDA impact over 6-12 months.
  1. Path Selection: Assign to Alpha Path (revenue generation) or Efficiency Path (cost reduction).
Efficiency Example – Sourcing in Recruiting
AI Sourcing Engine
  • Job Description Creation
  • Sources qualified candidates via public data
  • Screens resumes & schedules interviews
  • Provides candidate scoring
Cost Benefits
  • Reduction in cost-per-hire
  • Decrease in time-to-hire
  • Recruiter efficiency gain
  • Sourcer role replacement at fraction of cost
Implementation
  • Less than 30 days deployment timeline
  • 1 week training period
  • Full ROI within months
Suzy uses a tool called Sprouts.ai that has demonstrated significant efficiency gains across the hiring process. Note: I am an advisor.
Return on AI Investment
Alpha Path
According to LinkedIn's 2025 research, sales professionals who use AI daily are twice as likely to exceed their targets compared to non-AI users​​ This performance boost is remarkable, signaling that AI tools provide a genuine competitive advantage rather than just incremental improvements.
Source: LinkedIn Research - The ROI of AI: New research on how AI is transforming B2B sales
Efficiency Path
Research demonstrates that AI-powered recruitment tools deliver significant time efficiency improvements. Industry data indicates an average 85% reduction in time-to-fill positions with AI implementation. This both increases performance (Alpha), but also reduces the cost of added headcount in recruiting.
Source: IQ Talent - AI Recruiting ROI: Measuring Success and Impact
Investor Playbook & Next Steps
Assess Data Maturity
Score portfolio companies on data readiness and AI potential.
AI Maturity Index
Evaluate Tech Stack
Review tech API readiness and integration capabilities
Allocate Resources
Establish change-management budget and implementation timeline
Track KPIs
Monitor productivity lift, cost savings, and impact
Begin with 2-3 portfolio companies showing highest potential. Expect measurable impact within 3-6 months.
Questions & Thank You
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