The AI gold rush has unleashed a swarm of self-proclaimed experts.

Every C-suite executive is suddenly drowning in pitches promising overnight transformation and effortless ROI.

But separating genuine expertise from snake oil is critical – because a bad AI investment can cripple your organization.

The problem isn’t a lack of AI.

It’s a glut of unqualified advice.

Here’s how to cut through the noise and find the real deal
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Demand Proof, Not Promises
Forget the flashy demos. Ask for case studies, concrete results, and a clear methodology. Anyone who can’t provide tangible evidence is likely overpromising. And how many of these experts have scaled AI across enterprises? This is a key question.

Look Beyond the Buzzwords
“Generative AI”, “Agentic AI” – these are just tools. Focus on the problem you’re trying to solve and whether the proposed solution is truly aligned with your business goals. Value is created by focusing on the outcome and not on the technology.

Vet the Team, Not Just the Pitch Deck
Who exactly will be delivering this solution?
Do they have deep technical expertise, or are they just repackaging someone else’s technology?

Seek Independent Validation
Don’t rely solely on vendor testimonials.
Engage an independent consultant to assess the proposed solution and the vendor’s capabilities.

Start Small, Iterate Fast
Don’t bet the farm on a single AI initiative.
Pilot projects allow for experimentation and learning without risking significant capital.
Think about the long term sustainability of these technology solutions

Are you falling for the hype, or are you building a sustainable AI future?

#AI #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #Innovation #Expertise #CSuite #DearCEO #CEO

Is “innovate or die” really the question?

 Let me share a true story about transformation, vision, and the cost of hesitation.

 Six years ago, I stepped into a role with a bold mandate: automate, digitize, and transform an established organization into a data-driven market leader.

 To get the job, I pitched a strategy to digitize service lines, create new client value, and expand revenue.

 My background – co-authoring a book on digital transformation and founding three startups – gave me the confidence to drive change.

 Within six months, I delivered a transformation roadmap and execution plan.

 One flagship project was digitizing manual data processes. For ten months, I led a team of nine master’s-level data scientists, pushing boundaries in computer vision and automating feature extraction from LiDAR point clouds.

 We hit home runs weekly, developing cutting-edge technology.

 We saw an opportunity to partner with a LiDAR software firm, even proposing an acquisition to integrate our innovation. The business case was solid, the market potential enormous.

 But the executive team who were non-technical, unfamiliar with digital transformation couldn’t grasp the possibilities. The acquisition was denied.

 The project ended.

 The tech sat idle.

 For three years, I fought an uphill battle. Despite clear warnings that failing to digitize would leave us obsolete, resistance persisted.

 Eventually, I left in frustration.

 Fast forward to this week.

 I met with a smaller competitor in the same industry.

 They built my vision. Agile, innovative, and bold, they launched similar technology as a SaaS platform.

 It’s generating revenue and changing the game.

 Their CEO spoke like a true tech leader, understanding both technology and business model innovation.

 Eight of my former firm’s service lines are now at risk because this competitor digitized processes, eliminated manual tasks, and offered new market value.

 Here’s the punchline – the competitor’s platform is now used by rivals, positioning them as a potential market behemoth.

 Most executives in the industry still don’t understand what it means to be at the center of a platform business model.

 If you don’t digitize, automate, and transform, your organization is at serious risk.

 My former firm is now six years behind. But they were three years ahead.

 The competitor will leapfrog them all because they embraced digital-first, data-driven transformation.

 The lesson?

 If you want shade, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time was yesterday. If you haven’t started, you have no shade today.

 I’m now focused on helping organizations see the digital light.

 Digitizing at speed and scale to dominate industries.

 But it all starts at the top.

 The rules are being rewritten daily, and only the bold will survive.

 I’ve witnessed the divide firsthand.

 Which side will your organization be on?

 #Leadership #Innovation #DearCEO #CEO

Exploring the Benefits, Risks, and a C-Suite Action Plan

Companies are increasingly experimenting with creating AI versions of their CEOs – digital twins capable of answering questions, delivering messages, and even preserving institutional knowledge.

From Klarna’s AI hotline to SHRM’s chatbot of Johnny Taylor Jr., these AI personas offer benefits like 24 / 7 accessibility, multilingual communication, and a potential reduction in executive travel.

Beyond these pioneers, Salomon uses an AI persona of its CEO to ensure global employee access, while PwC is seeing broader interest in AI agents for various business functions.

Zoom has also deployed similar technology to highlight earnings reports.

However, the rise of the “AI CEO” also raises critical questions about data privacy, regulatory compliance, and the evolving role of human leadership.

While intended as extensions of existing leaders, the increasing adoption of AI agents across businesses warrants careful consideration of the potential impact on the workforce and the future of executive roles.

Considering an AI CEO?

Here’s a Concise C-Suite Action Plan:

Define Objectives (1 Week)
Clearly state why you’re considering this. Employee access? Knowledge preservation?

Data Audit & Privacy (2 Weeks)
Identify relevant data sources & ensure legal compliance (GDPR, etc). Catalogue all potential data sources (emails, transcripts, public appearances, internal documents).

Data Governance Framework – Establish protocols for data usage, consent, and security. Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and internal AI ethics guidelines.

Pilot Project (4-6 Weeks)
Start small – focus on a specific areas like new hire FAQs by training the model on specific targeted topics.

Test, Test and more testing
Ask the AI CEO strange and random questions to ensure it does not hallucinate or reveal critical business knowledge. If it does then retrain. Rinse and repeat.

Ethical Review (Ongoing)
Regularly assess potential biases and ensure responsible use.

Are you ready to embrace the age of the AI CEO? Why or why not? Share your comments below.

#AIleadership #DigitalTwin #ExecutiveAI #FutureofWork #AIethics #CSuiteStrategy #DearCEO #CEO

Too many organizations treat AI like a shiny new toy, throwing money at projects that deliver marginal gains or, worse, become expensive failures.

The book “Become an AI Orchestrator” reveals a critical shift – successful AI isn’t about individual algorithms – it’s about building an AI-powered business model.

The book emphasizes the necessity of “AI Business Design,” which means fundamentally rethinking how your organization creates, delivers, and captures value.

This requires actively identifying “AI Leverage Points” – areas where AI can dramatically reshape core processes, unlock new revenue streams, or disrupt existing markets.

Actionable advice includes mapping your entire value chain to pinpoint these leverage points, then prioritizing AI investments that generate exponential returns, not just incremental improvements.

These aren’t just about automating existing tasks — they’re about fundamentally reshaping how your organization creates, delivers, and captures value.

Think beyond chatbots and image recognition; consider how AI can unlock entirely new product categories, personalize customer experiences at scale, or disrupt entire industry value chains.

Actionable steps include:

Value Chain Mapping
Visually map your entire value chain to pinpoint areas ripe for AI disruption.

“What If?” Scenarios
Force yourself to imagine radical scenarios – “What if AI could eliminate this entire department?” – to uncover hidden opportunities.

Prioritize Exponential Returns
Focus on AI investments that generate a multiplier effect, not just a marginal improvement.

Are you building AI to enhance your business or to transform it?

The choice is yours.

#AIStrategy #BusinessTransformation #AILeadership #Innovation #ValueCreation #DigitalBusiness #CEO #DearCEO

For too many organizations, the digital landscape isn’t a frontier – it’s a graveyard.

Years of underinvestment and a mountain of technical debt have created a chasm between where you are and where you need to be.

We have witnessed this first hand, numerous times and it is not getting better.

Here’s your reality:

Legacy Systems are Leaky
They bleed money, stifle innovation, and repel talent.

Technical Debt is a Trap
It’s the compounding interest on bad decisions.

Underinvestment is a Death Sentence
It’s a slow, agonizing decline. And unfortunately all to common.

The Skills Gap Widens
The talent you need is fleeing the digital wasteland.

Ignoring this isn’t just a mistake; it’s a strategic failure.

This needs to be an executive table discussion.

Before you can be a data driven company you will need to deal with this reality.

Are you ready to exhume your business from the digital graveyard, or are you content to be a cautionary tale?

#DigitalTransformation #TechnicalDebt #Innovation #LegacySystems #Business #FutureofWork #CEO #DearCEO

Canadian Boards and CEOs, a critical wake-up call – reliance on U.S. cloud providers exposes your organization to the reach of the U.S. Cloud Act, potentially overriding Canadian jurisdiction.

A recent Canadian Federal Government report exposes the risks of using U.S. Cloud providers for Canadian entities.

Your data including AI prompts and AI Agent logic can be subjected to subpoenas by the U.S. Government overriding Canadian protections.

The Cloud Act is a more enhanced version of the U.S. Patriot Act where foreign businesses and individuals have limited rights on their data stored by U.S. businesses.

This isn’t just a theoretical risk.

As an example Canadian Federal government’s significant investment in U.S. providers, even for sensitive defense applications, underscores the vulnerability.

Digital sovereignty isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a strategic imperative requiring a rigorous assessment of data residency and supplier risk.

Consider the implications for your IP, competitive advantage, and regulatory compliance when working with U.S. cloud providers.

Are you prepared to proactively using a sovereign cloud or mitigate these risks (such as data encryption and key management)?

Let’s discuss how to safeguard your data assets. Additional details in the comments (link to a third party legal assessment).

#DigitalSovereignty #CloudSecurity #DataGovernance #RiskManagement #AI #Cybersecurity #DearCEO #CEO #AI