Why leaders must learn to see beyond the tech hype

AT THIS year’s International Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris, one thing was evident: the pace of technological change is accelerating, but our ability to make informed, strategic decisions about it is lagging behind. 

This dissonance is already playing out across organisations. Nearly half of employees who use generative AI at work do so through tools that are officially banned by their companies. It’s a paradox that speaks volumes, as leaders remain unsure of how to govern tools their employees find valuable. 

Yet decision-making around technology is still too often driven by instinct, fear of falling behind, or a fixation on what is new rather than what is necessary. Leaders are encouraged to adopt early, automate more and digitise faster. What they are rarely asked to consider is: Where is the real value being created, and what trade-offs come with it?