AI Knowhow Episode 96 Overview
- Boards have moved past curiosity; they now want to see deliberate execution, a path toward ROI, and a thesis on business model transformation.
- There are three priorities every board is (or should be) watching: ROI, organizational readiness, and risk/compliance.
- Guest David Evans shares how AI-powered forecasting and scenario planning can help leaders make confident, actionable decisions in increasingly uncertain times.
AI Roundtable: Getting ready for the board-level AI discussion
Executives everywhere are feeling the pressure to show clear ROI and execution readiness with AI. This pressure will only ratchet up in the wake of last week’s blockbuster MIT report that found only 5% of enterprise generative AI implementations have a measurable impact on a company’s P&L.
So how can leaders focus their organization’s AI efforts to meet the moment? This week’s timely episode of AI Knowhow explores exactly what boards are looking for, and how leaders can respond with confidence.
Courtney Baker sits down with David DeWolf and Mohan Rao to get their perspectives from both sides of the boardroom table, and Pete Buer interviews David Evans, founder of ArcSyne, to bring the boardroom conversation into sharper focus.
Roundtable Recap
Even before the MIT study dropped, executives and boards had an increased appetite to show ROI on their AI spend, David says. The days of AI POCs and experimentation are quickly being left behind. David’s two word summary of what boards want to see from AI efforts now? “Deliberate execution.”
Boards are no longer impressed by experiments. They expect business cases, ROI projections, and specific plans that show how AI will transform business models.
Mohan agrees, and distills the board perspective into three priorities:
- ROI and business value
- Execution and organizational readiness
- Risk and compliance
“Two years ago it was cute to see a demo,” Mohan says. “Today, boards expect governance, security, and clear pathways to competitive advantage.”
David also highlights a healthy dynamic for boards themselves: pushing management to look through the windshield, not just in the rearview mirror. That means:
- Understanding which startups are disrupting the industry
- Tracking adjacent markets where AI might enable new competitors
- Comparing how other industries have already transformed
This broader lens keeps both boards and executives from thinking too narrowly about AI’s role.
Expert Interview: David Evans of ArcSyne
In the expert interview, David Evans talks with Pete Buer about ArcSyne, an AI-powered platform designed to help CEOs, investors, and boards forecast scenarios in an increasingly uncertain environment. The tool goes beyond analysis to ensure actionability above all.
“Scenario planning has been academic and abstract,” David says. “We built ArcSyne backward from action: what are the no-regret moves you can make today, regardless of which future plays out?”
David and Pete also talk about how AI can best be used to establish and maintain competitive advantage. While automating existing workflows may seem like smart, low-hanging fruit, it’s not what is going to give you a long-term leg up on your competition.
“You’re going to win by reinventing the workflows in the space to better serve your customers at a better price point and provide superior service and great experience,” David says.
Watch the Episode
Watch the full episode below, and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Listen to the Episode
You can tune in to the full episode via the Spotify embed below, and you can find AI Knowhow on Apple Podcasts and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
Show Notes
-
- Connect with ArcSyne Founder David Evans on LinkedIn
- Connect with David DeWolf on LinkedIn
- Connect with Mohan Rao on LinkedIn
- Connect with Courtney Baker on LinkedIn
- Connect with Pete Buer on LinkedIn
- Get a guided Knownwell demo
- Follow Knownwell on LinkedIn
