AI's Reality Check

Corporate leaders see artificial intelligence as opportunity, not threat-yet most firms remain in pilot mode as progress stalls behind bold predictions

- BY BORIS GROYSBERG AND SARAH ABBOTT

WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DOMINATING global business news, we wanted to gain insight into how corporate executives are thinking about AI implementation. Is AI a good or bad thing? How much are they using AI, and what benefits are they seeing? How are they adjusting organizational processes and structures in light of AI?

In conjunction with The Official Board, we sent a survey to corporate executives in June 2025. We received 240 responses, well diversified by industry and region. What we learned is that there is a disconnect between the splashy AI news headlines and what executives are seeing in practice. According to these executives, the AI myths do not reflect the AI reality.

MYTH AI is a threat. “Experts predict ‘superintelligent’ AI could build a robot army to wipe out the human race,” proclaimed a 2025 New York Post headline.

REALITY Despite the dire AI headlines, executives we surveyed were overwhelmingly positive about the potential benefits that AI offered. When asked whether they viewed AI as a threat or opportunity, 87 percent of executives saw AI as an opportunity for their organization. Only 2 percent saw it as purely a threat. And 11 percent were neutralmixed on its impact.

Executives highlighted several specific AI-related opportunities. First, AI-driven productivity gains will allow organizations to move quicker and accomplish more. AI “will enable us to do more (expanding) and better (work) with less (people and capital),” stated one executive. Second, AI’s ability to execute rote tasks will allow more time for creative/value-added tasks, leading to better outcomes for the organization and an improved working environment. Third, AI tools can provide better and faster customer service. Fourth, AI will boost data analysis capabilities. “We can process data and assess data far more quickly to make quicker more informed decisions,” stated one executive.