Top AI Opportunities and Risks for Tactical Business Leaders
Businesses across industries have been facing new challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving economic landscape of an increasingly globalized world. This accelerated pace of change and the resultant complexity of business ecosystems continuously challenge executives and business leaders tasked with navigating their organizations through turbulence. Technological advancements and changing consumer expectations constantly redefine value drivers and add new dimensions that demand a recalibration of leadership strategies. At the heart of this transformation is the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the strategic fabric of enterprises. This article delves into the imperative of Tactical AI Leadership, providing a comprehensive guide for senior leaders on harnessing AI to drive innovation, optimize operations, and sustain competitive advantage.
Top Opportunities
- The Economic Landscape and Value Creation
The McKinsey & Company 2023 report highlights that more than 33% of employees and 25% of C-Suite executives personally use Gen AI tools in day-to-day work. Moreover, 25% of respondents from companies using AI said gen AI is already on their boards’ agendas, and 40% of respondents said their organizations would increase their investment in AI overall because of advances in gen AI [1]. This shift underscores AI’s increasing participation in redefining value creation across industries. For example, Amazon’s use of AI, from personalized recommendations to logistics optimization, highlights the breadth of application of AI-based features and processes in enhancing customer experiences and operational efficiencies. Given its utility, AI has evolved from being seen as an operational tool to a business-critical strategic asset that can redefine market positioning and value propositions.
- Accelerating Go-to-Market Strategies
AI-driven new product development and product management techniques can halve development time and increase intelligence in new products and services. Several business leaders have advocated the dire need to adopt and leverage AI for faster innovation cycles. Tesla’s rapid deployment of software updates over the air, including Autopilot improvements, serves as a benchmark for using AI to swiftly enhance product offerings, demonstrating how AI can be a catalyst for reducing time-to-market and responding to consumer demands with agility.
- Managing Complexity and Real-Time Decision-Making
Gartner’s prediction that over 50% of enterprise-managed data will be created and processed outside traditional data centers by 2025 [2] underscores the increasing complexity of managing vast data landscapes. Netflix’s use of AI for real-time viewing data analysis and content strategy adjustment exemplifies the power of AI in enabling agile decision-making. Cassie Kozyrkov, the former Chief Decision Scientist at Google, has long advocated for strategic integration of AI in decision processes as crucial for managing complexity and enhancing responsiveness to market dynamics.
- Navigating Risks and Supply Chain Resilience
PwC’s Global Risk Survey 2023 highlights that supply chain disruption is the main external factor seen as more of a risk than opportunity, cited by 42% of respondents concerned about operational impacts [3]. Procter & Gamble’s AI-driven approach to predicting and mitigating supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the critical role of AI in building resilience. It is an important area for all companies to invest in Tactical AI Leadership for leveraging predictive analytics to anticipate risks and ensure business continuity amidst volatility.
- Adapting to Fast-Changing Customer Preferences
Salesforce reports that Nearly 90% Of Buyers Say Experience a Company Provides Matters as Much as Products or Services, and 73% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and preferences [4], a significant increase from previous years. Spotify’s Discover Weekly, powered by machine learning, personalizes music playlists, showcasing the potential of AI to adapt to and anticipate customer behaviors. Tactical Business Leaders must prioritize developing AI-driven capabilities and operating models to tailor products and services to evolving consumer expectations.
Top Risks
- Ethical Considerations and AI Governance
According to a Deloitte survey, 56% of respondents don’t know or are unsure if their organizations have ethical standards guiding its use, and 22% of respondents cited data privacy as their top concern about Generative AI [5], the imperative for Tactical AI Leadership extends to ethical AI use and governance. IBM’s Watson Health’s challenges in revolutionizing cancer treatment highlight the complexities of ethical AI deployment in sensitive sectors. Tactical Business Leaders must ensure AI initiatives are built on ethical foundations and operated with robust governance frameworks to mitigate risks and align with regulatory and societal expectations.
- Talent Management and AI Capability Development
The scarcity of AI talent, highlighted by LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report [6], hiring growth for AI and Machine Learning roles has grown 74% annually in the past four years and poses a significant challenge. Google’s investment in AI education and training initiatives exemplifies the strategic approach required for building internal AI capabilities. Tactical Business Leaders need to champion in-house talent development programs and foster a culture of continuous learning to cultivate AI expertise within their organizations and reduce reliance on external consultants and vendors.
- Scaling AI Initiatives and Measuring Impact
Despite the potential of AI, companies have encountered a very high failure rate in end-to-end value creation from AI/ML solutions, from industrializing and operating to integrating with existing processes and scaling. The dissolution of Ford, VW-backed autonomous vehicle subsidiary Argo AI after failing to find a sustainable path to commercialization underscores the challenges in scaling AI [7]. Tactical Business Leaders must establish clear metrics and KPIs for AI projects, focusing on scalability, integration, and alignment with business objectives to ensure successful outcomes.
- Fostering an AI-Enabled Culture
Integrating AI into business operations requires not just technological adoption but a cultural shift within organizations. Microsoft’s AI transformation strategy, emphasizing employee engagement and training, highlights the importance of fostering an AI-enabled culture. Tactical Business Leaders are pivotal in navigating and leading this cultural transformation, promoting an environment that embraces innovation, agility, and ethical responsibility in AI use.
Conclusion
For Tactical Business Leaders, the growing influence of AI in business and operations represents a paradigm shift in strategic thinking and operational excellence. Integrating AI into business is not merely a technological upgrade but a comprehensive reimagining of how value is created, operations are optimized, and competitive advantage is sustained. By embracing the principles of Tactical AI Leadership, business leaders can steer their organizations toward a future where AI is a crucial driver of innovation, resilience, and growth. The journey towards AI maturity is filled with opportunities and risks. Successful navigation requires vision, commitment, and a tactical approach to harness the transformative power of AI, ensuring that enterprises not only navigate the challenges of the digital age but thrive in its opportunities.
References:
- McKinsey & Company (2023) The state of AI in 2023: Generative AI’s breakout year, August 01, 2023
- Gartner What Edge Computing Means for Infrastructure and Operations Leaders, October 03, 2018
- PWC’s From threat to opportunity, PwC’s Global Risk Survey 2023
- Salesforce State of the Connected Customer report, 5th edition, May 10, 2022
- Deloitte Ethical Technology: Principles for Emerging Tech, 2nd edition, 2023
- LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report, 2019-2020
- Techcrunch.com Ford, VW-backed Argo AI is shutting down, Kirsten Korosec, October 26, 2022