How Boards are Shaping Strategy in the AI Era 

How Boards are Shaping Strategy in the AI Era 

‍

The impact of AI on a global scale is undeniable. AI is transforming organizational operations by automating routine tasks, supporting data-driven decision-making, and enabling greater personalisation in sales and marketing. 

‍

AI-powered programmes – from dynamic pricing models to data analysis, continuous performance monitoring, enhanced customer service, and more – will significantly reshape traditional business models. 

‍

What’s emerging is an entirely new marketplace, one that’s redefining long-held approaches to entrepreneurship, innovation, and transformation.

‍

The bottom line: AI will transform how businesses are created, funded, and evolved. 

‍

And unsurprisingly, our conversations with board members and business leaders, as part of the Global Board Report Series, consistently highlight the same theme: strategic alignment is everything.

‍

“AI tools are evolving rapidly. This creates a new landscape where companies can experiment, fail fast, and pivot - without the need for massive overhauls. It’s a return to the kind of agile mindset that used to define early venture capital strategies.”

-Peter Needle, Founder at Segura Systems, Board Advisor & Head of Sustainability at Oii.ai

‍

The challenge: alignment across global markets 

‍

AI readiness and adoption vary dramatically across regions. For global businesses, building a consistent, meaningful strategy is far from straightforward.

‍

"When we did an audit of one of our companies, we discovered that in five of the countries we operate in - every geo had a different AI strategy. Which is a disaster because all of them were experimenting in different ways, getting further down the line so we couldn't even leverage the best practices."

-Joe Hurd, Public company Board Director and Strategic Advisor 

‍

We asked Directors and Founders across the globe to rank where they believe AI will play the biggest role in governance and strategic planning in the near-term:

‍

Drive long-term strategic planning 51%

Provide insight into market trends 47%

Fill gaps in Board composition 43%

Agenda planning/note taking 39%

Scanning for compliance issues & reputational risks 36%

‍

(Data taken from the Think & Grow Board Report Series)

‍

Driving organizational transformation isn’t just another IT project

‍

Good AI governance isn’t about picking models. It’s about making strategy real. Because AI is a business-model shift with tech implications. Ultimately, a high-impact board’s AI mandate boils down to three things:

‍

1. Set direction. Decide where AI can give you a real edge — not just convenience.
2. Create conditions. Make sure the right data, decision rights, and talent are in place.
3. Hold to outcomes. Measure things that matter — cycle time, decision quality, capability lift — not vanity demos.

‍

Setting an AI strategy, and setting your organization up for long-term success with AI, is crucial. But boards must also gain a clear sense of the impact that AI stands to have on their corporate performance, in the nearer term.

‍

Future-proof your board with an AI Guru 

‍

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from six months of creating our upcoming Global Board Report Series, it’s this: You can’t build the right board by following a formula. 

‍

Future-proofing your governance strategy in uncertain times requires one vital ingredient: Relevant, evolving expertise. As we’ve established, AI isn’t going anywhere. Its impact will only continue to grow as it evolves and use cases expand. 

‍

To meet this moment, your board needs to find an AI expert who can help build AI governance frameworks, foster AI literacy, implement AI ethics, and ensure ongoing adaptation of this rapidly-evolving technology. 

‍

Across all three regions — APJ, UK/Europe & the US — our research points to one increasingly essential seat at the table: The AI Guru.

‍

For this role, you’re not just looking for an AI evangelist because the job isn’t all about convincing people of AI’s power or use. This is a builder role. You’re looking for someone who’s comfortable being uncomfortable and isn’t afraid to learn on the job. 

‍

The right person is ruthlessly curious with plenty of cross-functional experience: they’re uniquely qualified to start from scratch and build comprehensive, adaptable frameworks that touch every part of your business. 

‍

In our upcoming Global Board Report Series, we dive deeper into how the AI era is reshaping long-term strategies for tech companies across the globe. To get access, reserve your copy here.

‍