Turn AI ambition into action—with six proven plays designed for business impact.
Most enterprise AI efforts stall before they scale. Budgets go up, but maturity lags behind. Shadow AI grows unchecked. Strategy sounds bold, but roadmaps rarely connect to KPIs that drive business value.
We built the AI Executive Playbook to change that.
Created for C-suite leaders, this guide distills real-world experience into a practical framework for driving enterprise-wide AI momentum.
Whether you’re scaling early wins or course-correcting stalled pilots, this playbook delivers the structure and language you need to lead with confidence.
Key takeaways
Six proven plays to align strategy, governance, and execution across the enterprise
How to focus AI efforts
A three-tier framework for categorizing use cases by complexity, value, and investment level
How to measure impact
KPIs that cut through surface-level activity to reveal real impact
Where to start
A quarterly checklist that helps teams move fast, stay aligned, and scale what works
Grab your copy of The AI Executive Playbook:
A glimpse into The AI Executive Playbook
Build executive fluency and immersion
Scaling AI requires a leadership team that speaks the same language and sees the same landscape. Executive fluency isn’t just about terminology; it’s about understanding the types of AI use cases that exist, where they fit, and how they create value.
One practical way to accelerate this fluency is by introducing a clear, shared framework for how AI shows up in the enterprise through the lens three tiers:
- AI productivity enhances individual output—tasks like summarizing, drafting, or researching.
- AI automation takes over structured, repeatable processes—such as routing requests or generating standard reports.
- AI transformation reimagines entire workflows using autonomous agents that act, escalate, and learn across functions.
This model serves as both a learning tool and a decision-making guide. It helps executives identify where AI is already adding value, where to invest next, and how to differentiate between quick wins and transformational plays. When leaders understand the AI tiers—and how to apply them—they become better stewards of strategy, talent, and capital.
Why it matters
Executive fluency keeps AI aligned with business outcomes, not headlines. When leaders understand the use case tiers and how they link to P&L outcomes, they can confidently assess investments, guide teams, and avoid both underreach and overreach. Regular exposure to real use cases and emerging risks builds judgment that enables faster, more effective decision-making.
ACTION
✅ Begin with immersive AI labs.
Run an interactive two-day workshop to introduce the AI tier framework, define core vocabulary, and walk through tier-specific use cases.
- Hand out vocabulary cards to establish shared language.
- Use real internal processes as examples, reimagined through the lens of agentic AI design.
- Include a visual heat map that links use cases by tier to financial or operational KPIs.
✅ Select and stress-test use cases.
Ask leaders to nominate two use cases per business unit, and use the tier framework to categorize and assess feasibility, value, and readiness.
✅ Institute a dependable briefing cadence.
- Block a monthly 30-minute slot on the C-suite calendar.
- Send a 3-bullet brief before each session: 1 win, 1 warning, 1 wildcard.
- Rotate business unit hosts to surface new insights and encourage cross-functional fluency.
The risks of not speaking the same language
🚫 When executives lack a deep understanding of AI’s capabilities, decisions are often driven by either hype or fear, leading to stalled initiatives or misaligned priorities.
🚫 Without regular exposure to real-world AI applications, leadership teams may default to automation-only thinking, missing opportunities for broader transformation.
Ready for more?