Embracing ‘What If?’: How Leaders Navigate AI

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Michael DeNunzio & Pete Monk
October 22, 2024

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Embracing ‘What If?’:

How Leaders Navigate AI

Much of the focus and captivation with Generative AI (GenAI) is on its current capabilities—rightfully so, as it’s crucial to understand how AI is impacting businesses today and laying the foundation for future scalability. But with AI progressing at a breakneck pace, forward-thinking leaders are already asking, “What if?”—exploring future opportunities, while those who don’t, risk becoming Laggards and falling behind.

Piloting AI is essential but shouldn't be seen as sufficient. The strategic imperative for leaders is to move beyond experimentation and envision how AI will unlock new markets, channels, and opportunities that position their organizations for formidable and sustainable competitive advantage. At the same time, leaders must rigorously assess and mitigate the risks associated with AI adoption, ensuring that the pursuit of innovation is balanced with ethical considerations, data security, and potential disruptions to the workforce.

To understand what lies ahead, look at insights from the visionaries who are building the next wave of innovation. (I encourage you to read and listen to the full length pieces for even more context.)

Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind(1): “…Google has reconfigured its entire structure, putting AI and the team at DeepMind at the core of its strategy.”

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI(2): “It is possible that we will have superintelligence in a few thousand days (!); it may take longer, but I’m confident we’ll get there…As one example, we expect that this technology can cause a significant change in labor markets (good and bad) in the coming years…”

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic(3): “ I think that most people are underestimating just how radical the upside of AI could be, just as I think most people are underestimating how bad the risks could be.”

Strategic Considerations for Future-Ready Leaders

  • Adopt the 'What If?' Mindset: Encourage your teams to think beyond immediate AI capabilities and explore what new possibilities future advancements could unlock.

  • Create an AI Leader role: Support it with a cross-functional team, and allocate a formal budget for AI initiatives by 2025. This structure ensures that AI gets the focus and resources it needs across departments, minimizing delays and enabling quicker adaptation to AI advancements.

  • Integrate AI Deeply: Move AI from pilots to the core of your strategy, aligning initiatives with long-term goals and building scalable infrastructure for growth.

  • Prepare for Disruptions: Understand that the potential for transformation is more profound than most anticipate. Proactively preparing for this level of rapid innovation can position your business to capitalize on shifts that could redefine entire industries.

  • Stay Agile: With the rapid evolution of AI, particularly in labor markets, organizations need to develop adaptive strategies to manage these shifts and seize emerging opportunities.

This is an excerpt from a longer-form article that delves deeper into these insights and strategic actions. The full article is available on the PVAI Consulting website.

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