At both the World50 Connect and Recognize CEO Innovation Network events, artificial intelligence and tariffs were the dominating themes shaping every conversation.
It was clear that while AI is viewed as transformative, most CEOs were willing to openly acknowledge that they are behind in investments, operational readiness, and in building the capabilities AI will demand.
Progress is stalling due to sheer uncertainty around how to implement AI in a meaningful, scalable way. And yet waiting for perfect clarity is a mistake. The time to act is now.
CEOs Acknowledging the Gap
Three themes emerged:
- AI is no longer theoretical. CEOs clearly see that AI will be foundational to future operations.
- Most organizations are not ready. Leaders admitted they have not made the level of investment that true AI integration will require.
- Uncertainty is causing paralysis. Without clear frameworks, defined use cases, or consistent success stories, many organizations are trapped between wanting to invest and not knowing exactly how.
This widespread hesitation has created a gap between aspiration and action and will soon becoming a disadvantage for those who fail to act.
Waiting is the Bigger Risk
In times of uncertainty, speed to thoughtful action matters more than precision.
AI will not reward companies who wait to have every answer. It will, however, reward those who start moving forward, who build internal learning muscles, and who experiment with purpose.
In many organizations, well-intentioned efforts to “get ready for AI” are becoming an excuse for delay.
- Teams are getting wrapped up in data cleansing.
- Resources are allocated to lengthy audits and system overhauls.
- Leaders are stalled by a search for certainty that will never fully arrive.
Human effort spent trying to perfect the foundation for AI is largely wasted. The environment is evolving too quickly, by the time a perfect foundation is built, the opportunity will have moved on.
What CEOs Must Embrace
For CEOs bridging the gap between where they are and where they need to be, a mindset shift is required:
- Act With Imperfect Information: Waiting for perfect data is an excuse. Companies must move forward with the assets they have, knowing that systems and information can be improved over time, in motion.
- Prioritize Practical Deployment: Focus AI initiatives on real commercial problems today without
Three Questions Every CEO Must Answer Before Investing in AI
The interactions at World50 and Recognize CEO caused me to reflect on the questions I asked myself before making investments in AI.
These are operating questions that separate the smart, durable investments from wasted experiments. At SBI, every AI-related decision we make is evaluated against them.
- How is AI going to kill our business?
- Start here, not with the opportunity, but with the threat. Identify core aspects of your operating model or value proposition that is threatened by AI, especially in the hands of a competitor.
- What would make us irresistible to prospects and indispensable to clients if we leverage AI correctly?
- Here begin to shift your mindset toward opportunity. Identify ways AI can help strengthen your competitive differentiator, create a frictionless buying experience, or deepen client engagement.
- What is the biggest line item on our P&L that AI could meaningfully improve?
- Ensure AI investments are tied directly to enterprise value by identifying inefficiencies or potential for productivity increases.
Leadership is Deciding to Take Action
The CEOs I spoke with at World50 and Recognize CEO know the risks. They know AI’s potential.
And I know the biggest mistake they can make is sitting still instead of leading through uncertainty.
AI is just the latest arena where leadership is defined by action, not by perfect preparation.
To understand how CEOs are navigating uncertainty, SBI surveyed 120 CEOs and commercial leaders as part of its quarterly pulse of market trends, growth strategies, execution successes and performance gaps. Review the research here.
