NEWS

LONDON, Nov. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) has launched its new report ‘Leadership in the Age of AI.’ Based on a survey of 1,600+ senior leaders and C-Suite executives across the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Sweden, the report explores how leadership is transforming as the region’s businesses embrace generative AI.

The rise of generative AI in 2023 has been nothing short of remarkable. As the technology went mainstream in the consumer market, progressive senior leaders were quick to respond, seeking to secure their place in the emerging transformation.

It’s a safe bet that 2024 will be the year businesses follow en masse, and pressure to make the right calls and lead appropriately is being felt across the C-suite. The report found that 96% of respondents who have or plan to deploy generative AI are actively engaged in shaping new ethical and governance frameworks.

As executives across Europe seek to untap the potential of AI while navigating growing security threats and an evolving regulatory and ethics landscape, the report explores what leadership in the age of AI truly entails.

Ana Paula Assis, Chair and General Manager EMEA, IBM commented:

“AI is the definitive gamechanger. A powerful catalyst with the potential to drive transformative global progress. And its rapid ascent is giving Europe, home to 7 of the world’s 10 most innovative countries, the chance to play a leading role. But this doesn’t make business leaders blind to the challenges. Concerns around governance, ethics and security are top of mind as executives strive to adopt AI safely and responsibly. It’s a responsibility which touches every fibre of a business – from its data to its people, to society at large. And success requires the kind of organizational shift few are prepared for.”

“While no organization wants to be left behind, in the eyes of their customers, investors, employees, and peers there is a license required to operate this exciting new technology. And that license is trust. This moment calls for trusted leadership, instilling good governance into every action taken. All successful AI strategies will be dependent on effective, responsible AI governance – and getting this right will ensure companies are prepared and ready to reap the benefits of the AI revolution.”

Key findings include:

Responding to mounting pressure

• Business leaders surveyed say that the three greatest sources of pressure to embrace generative AI are coming not only from competitors or consumers, but from employees, board members and investors.
• This stems primarily from a desire to modernize and improve operational efficiency (45%), using AI to automate routine processes and free up employees to take on higher value work while helping foster innovation. This is followed by the technology’s potential to enhance the customer experience (43%) and boost sales results (38%).
• Answering the AI boardroom agenda in particular, respondents were virtually unanimous (95%)[1] on the potential of generative AI to power better leadership decisions.

Taking the lead on transparency and ethics

• When it came to the challenges of deploying generative AI, respondents identified the importance of employing it within an ethical and inclusive framework as the main challenge, followed by the pressure to hire specialist talent and cost implications.
• And, while regulators across Europe work to rapidly develop AI policy frameworks, business leaders themselves are being required to take ownership and responsibility on key issues, citing concerns over security implications (including privacy and surveillance) as the most fundamental to responsible AI.
  
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