Welcome to the AI Agent & Copilot Podcast, analyzing the latest AI Copilot and agent developments from Microsoft and its partners, delving into customer use cases, and exploring how AI plus the Cloud helps customers reimagine their business.
In this episode, Diane Gardner, independent advisor, Two Pillars Advising, discusses her session at the upcoming AI Agent & Copilot Summit with Tom Smith. Gardner is speaking in the mainstage on “Presenting the AI Use Case: How to Speak the Language of the C-Suite and Board of Directors.”
Highlights
Challenges of AI Implementation (02:45)
Gardner discusses the challenges companies face in keeping up with the rapid changes in AI and GenAI. “Trying to keep up with everything that else that’s going on in the world, and then also what’s going on in AI, which is changing, you know, by the hour, is a real challenge for boards and for executive management teams,” she says. Boards and executive management teams face pressure to effectively use AI. Sharing stories and experiences at the upcoming event will help provide practical paths forward for companies.
Presenting AI Business Cases to Boards (05:01)
Explaining challenges faced by executives in presenting AI business cases, Gardner notes that some companies lean into governance to manage ambiguity, while others prefer a more aggressive approach. She stresses the importance of having realistic conversations with executive management and boards about AI implementation. She advises being clear about the problem being solved and including comprehensive plans that address risks and unknowns.
Risk Management and Governance (07:13)
Gardner explains that boards have a responsibility for risk management and are struggling with how to govern AI due to its rapid changes. They’re wondering, “How do we govern this thing that nobody knows where we’re going, right?” She mentions the constant influx of information and the iterative process boards are undergoing to find the right governance structure.
Realistic Approaches and Feedback Loops (09:17)
Gardner advises being realistic about the current stage of AI implementation and focusing on solving real problems. She emphasizes the importance of comprehensive plans that include testing and feedback loops. Open conversations about risks and unknowns will ensure informed decisions. She suggests including ROI forecasts in presentations, not just financial benefits, but also time savings and risk assessments.
Future of AI Business Case Presentations (13:58)
Gardner predicts that boards will continue to grapple with how to govern AI, with some companies creating separate risk or tech committees. She anticipates a lot of stops and starts as companies figure out the best governance structures, and says there’ll be a tug of war between risk management and AI implementation. “And so I think you will continue to see this push and pull between the people that are charged with managing the risk of the company, whether that is the board or the executive management team and the people who are charged with making sure that we are doing all the best things that we’re applying.”
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