CEO decision-making in the age of AI
The world is growing more intricate, uncertain, and charged—as are the decisions CEOs face right now.
If it was a simple decision, someone—or something—else would have made it.
Ask CEOs what they use to make decisions and two areas rise to the fore: financial data and operational data.
Ask CEOs what the most challenging issues are for them over the next several years and you’ll get a list that moves far beyond financial data and operational data, into complex issues that require a host of inputs. From sustainability, to cybersecurity, to diversity, equity, and inclusion, CEOs are grappling with the increase in complexity.
Chief executives are making decisions faster than ever in a world that has moved beyond looking solely at shareholder value. In a world where we are debating the ethics and feasibility of AI-driven decision-making versus human involvement, where previously unknown generative AI brand names now roll off the tongues of businesspeople around the world, how do top-performing CEOs make the right calls? Particularly given the fact that they—like their less successful peers—are compelled to focus on the very areas where they are least experienced and likely have the smallest amount of historical data.
It is an epic challenge.
75%
believe competitive advantage will depend on who has the most advanced generative AI.
50%
are now integrating generative AI into products and services.
43%
are using generative AI to inform their strategic decisions.
- There’s more pressure to accelerate AI adoption than to slow it down.It may be tempting for enterprise leaders to see generative AI as their magic wand—enter a few prompts and seconds later have a compelling rationale that supports any decision. Except of course it doesn’t work that way. But that’s not stopping stakeholders from pushing executives to use it.Download the report for more insights
- As AI invades the workplace, both consciously and surreptitiously, it is also fueling workforce disruption.Fewer than one in three CEOs have assessed the potential impact of generative AI on their workforce. This is among the most disquieting findings from our analysis. It means two out of three CEOs are acting without a clear view of how to help their workforce with the disruption and inevitable transitions AI will bring. Whether this is an oversight or a process that is lagging, it is something to watch—particularly as there appear to be significant gaps between CEOs and other senior executives when it comes to their sense of the organization’s skills and readiness.Download the report for more insights
- CEOs are eager to act on AI, but their teams are less confident.Big questions linger about the organizational readiness to embrace and implement AI in decision-making. Seven in 10 CEOs say AI brings broad benefits and think their organization has the knowledge and skills to adopt generative AI today. Their executive teams, however, are far more wary about AI and the internal capacity of the workforce.Download the report for more insights
- What are the biggest barriers to generative AI adoption?When CEOs struggle over adopting generative AI, their first concern isn’t the tech talent pool or other organizational obstacles, it is more basic: data. Without trusted, reliable data, even the best AI will deliver faulty, biased, or dangerous results. Yet getting your data house in order is no small task, and for many enterprises one that is far from complete. The top barriers: data lineage and provenance, a lack of proprietary data to customize, and security concerns.Download the report for more insights
- Metrics and decision-making
- Talent and workforces
- Technology and data
- Ecosystem and partners
Originally published 27 June 2023
Originally published 27 June 2023
