A recent Financial Times analysis of S&P 500 filings found that 374 companies mentioned AI on their earnings calls last year—and nearly nine out of 10 described it in glowing terms. When pressed to explain the upside, however, most leaders fell back on vague promises of still unrealized “productivity gains.” Not only that, their annual reports were far clearer about risks than tangible benefits. Why? As one of us found in a project involving more than 300 board directors, not only are AI pilots not sure to deliver, but employees, fearful of AI, don’t take advantage of its potential, and AI projects don’t address the way organizations work and add value.
