Artificial intelligence has now entered companies. Yet, in many executive committees, it is still perceived as a technical subject, entrusted to IT teams or a few internal experts. This approach carries a major risk. AI is no longer just a matter of tools. It now influences strategy, business models, governance, skills, risks and organizational competitiveness.

Preparing an Executive Committee for artificial intelligence does not therefore consist of organizing a simple ChatGPT demonstration. It involves helping leaders understand the transformations already affecting their environment and make informed decisions.

The first step is to create a common language. Members of an executive committee do not all have the same level of maturity on these subjects. Some use generative AI tools daily, while others are still discovering the possibilities offered by these technologies. Before addressing strategic issues, it is essential to share the same definitions, the same concepts and the same orders of magnitude.

This acculturation phase must remain focused on business issues. Leaders do not need to become specialists in language models or IT architectures. However, they must understand how AI can transform their industry, their professions, their customers and their competitors.

The second step is to identify value creation opportunities. Too many companies still approach AI from a productivity angle. Admittedly, time savings are real. But the best-performing projects observed among the leaders and entrepreneurs interviewed as part of EntrepreneurIA often concern improved decision-making quality, accelerated innovation, personalized customer experience or the development of new services.

The role of the Executive Committee is precisely to identify the areas where artificial intelligence can support the company’s strategic priorities.

The third step concerns risks. Generative AI introduces new questions relating to data confidentiality, intellectual property, algorithmic bias, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. The phenomenon of Shadow AI, which refers to the use of AI tools without official company validation, perfectly illustrates these new challenges.

Leaders must therefore define a clear framework. Which tools are authorized? What data can be used? What controls must be put in place? Who bears responsibility for AI-assisted decisions?

These questions relate to governance and must be addressed at the executive committee level.

Finally, preparing an Executive Committee for AI involves anticipating human transformations. The most advanced companies already observe that AI adoption depends less on technology than on teams’ ability to change their work habits. Training, change management, skills development and leadership become key success factors.

Artificial intelligence does not replace the role of leaders. On the contrary, it reinforces their responsibility. In an environment where decisions can be influenced by systems capable of analyzing considerable volumes of information, human judgment remains essential.

The real question is therefore no longer whether the company should use artificial intelligence. The question is whether its executive committee is ready to make it a strategic value creation lever, while controlling the risks that accompany it.

About the author

Pascale Caron supports leaders, executive committees and boards of directors in their strategic decisions related to artificial intelligence. Co-author of EntrepreneurIA, she draws on 27 years of international experience in digital technologies and more than 100 interviews conducted with leaders and entrepreneurs using AI.

Would you like to raise your executive committee’s awareness of artificial intelligence issues? Contact Yunova Consulting.