Jared Coyle, Chief AI Officer of SAP Americas, recently wrote in TechRadar: “AI is earning a spot in the inner circle, signaling a fundamental redefinition of how leaders pair human insight with machine intelligence to drive better outcomes.”
Coyle and other prominent business leaders believe that using AI for C-suite leaders and decision-making can help companies make data-driven decisions by streamlining critical parts of the decision-making process.
“As AI becomes a true collaborator in the boardroom, the goal isn’t to hand over control. It’s to elevate leadership,” Coyle said. “In this new era, great leaders won’t always have the right answer, but they will know when and how to ask the right questions—and where to turn for the best insights.”
So far, much of the hype surrounding AI has focused on large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and text-to-image applications like DALL·E. However, research demonstrates that more executives are joining Coyle in recognizing the connection between AI for C-suite leaders and business innovation.
Consider a March 2025 study by SAP SE. Based on a survey of 300 C-suite executives, it found that 55% of leaders “work at firms where AI-driven insights have replaced or frequently bypass traditional decision-making.” It also found that 48% of executives “use generative AI tools daily.” In particular SAP SE found that C-suite leaders are using generative AI and other forms of AI to make recommendations for decision-making, to spot potential risks, and to generate alternative plans for consideration.
This newfound love for AI-powered decision-making is backed by research. The Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania found that executives who use AI are able to make faster data-driven decisions than their counterparts who rely on traditional processes. “Organizations using AI to support decisions report a 20% reduction in decision-making time.”
In fields as diverse as energy, education, entertainment, construction, manufacturing and banking, just to name a few, AI has the power to change how students learn, how employees work and how consumers purchase. Just as important to the global economy, however, will be AI’s impact on the way that leaders operate.
AI-Driven Decision-Making is Transforming the C-Suite
As the Chief AI Officer of West Monroe, and former data and AI leader at PwC, Bret Greenstein is one of the world’s foremost experts on enterprise AI for C-suite leaders. Having worked with countless executives to integrate it into virtually every aspect of business operations, he’s concluded that leaders are embracing generative AI not in spite of its disruptive potential, but rather because of it.
“If every executive could tap into the intelligence of the smartest investor, finance leader, or operations executive, it would create an amplification effect across the business,” Greenstein said. “Not every leader is ready for that, and some still don’t fully trust it. But those who do are beginning to challenge the old ways of working in a meaningful way.”
According to Greenstein, many executives have already bought into the idea of leveraging AI for C-suite leaders. But that doesn’t mean they fully understand its potential. While most leaders grasp how AI chatbots and LLMs can increase efficiency and reduce costs, for example, a smaller number recognize the benefits of integrating AI into decision-making. He’s determined to help them see the light.
“One of the simplest but most powerful things is that it’s really good at math—better than any of us. I’m seeing more and more C-suite executives use it for “what if” scenario testing and exploring why things are happening.”
The most innovative leaders – those who are leading AI adoption – are already seeing impressive benefits.
“For example, I was with a CFO who couldn’t get clear answers from his team. So, over the weekend, he asked ChatGPT to dig into why his competitor had better price leverage,” he said.
“It produced a detailed report showing that the competitor offered individual item selection while his company only offered bundles. That difference gave the competitor stronger pricing leverage—something his own teams hadn’t identified.”
AI is Revolutionizing How Enterprise Leaders Engage with Customers
In addition to providing executives with critical real-time data and insights, AI is helping senior leaders better understand customers and launch with a high degree of confidence new lines of business that satisfy their requirements.
“One personal takeaway has been the profound impact AI can have on understanding and anticipating customer needs,” said Kirill Lazarev, founder and CEO of the design agency Lazarev, whose clients include Boeing, HP, Meta and many other Fortune 100 companies.
“A client once shared how predictive analytics allowed them to spot a rising trend in customer preferences early on. This wasn’t just data for them; it was a window into their customers’ future desires, enabling them to tailor offerings like never before.”
This pivotal moment transformed Lazarev’s view on AI and helped him understand its immense potential. “It was a lightbulb moment for me, seeing AI not just as a tool for efficiency but as a bridge to deeper customer insights,” he said.
Since that watershed moment, Lazarev has encouraged his clients to embrace the power of AI for both analytics and decision-making itself. He encourages organizations to view AI as more than just an efficiency and cost-saving tool. AI has the potential to bridge the divide between companies and their customers, he said, helping enterprises better understand their market and increase profits through data-driven investments.
Hands-On Leadership Helps Create AI Success
While many executives are eager to implement AI in their organizations, the most successful among them are hands-on. In fact, many leaders emphasize the importance of C-suite involvement across the planning, implementation and iteration phases of AI initiatives.
Sam Underwood, President of the data analytics and AI consulting firm Futurety, is one such executive.
“We regularly use AI to begin the decision-making process, but never to end it,” Underwood says. “For example, a common prompt I use is, “I’m making a decision about X. What would a long-tenured leader have to say about this? What about a leader who errs on the side of people? One who errors on the side of profit?”
Underwood says that this consultative approach to AI has helped him understand the consequences of potential actions and explore unconventional options he may not have chosen otherwise. It also allows leaders to ensure that his company’s mission and values are present in every discussion.
But, Underwood cautions leaders against using AI as the final decision-maker.
“There’s a real risk in over-reliance on AI to finish the decision, rather than to begin it,” he said. “We don’t believe AI is ready to make full decisions that affect dozens or hundreds of jobs yet; but it can absolutely guide leaders towards potential opportunities, risks and pitfalls to begin the decision-making process.”
From AI-Aware to AI-Savvy
While many executives are just beginning to understand the possibilities associated with AI in business strategy, early adopters are already using AI to inform their long-term planning. But, leaders warn that it’s important to place guardrails on AI to ensure it’s used ethically—and strategically.
The biggest shift C-suite leaders must make is governance,” says Conrad Wang, Managing Director the the Australia-based EnableU healthcare provider. “When we moved clinical triage decisions toward AI support, we didn’t stop at trials. We set up an oversight panel of clinicians, operations leaders, and risk managers.”
“Every rollout followed the same approval pathway: data validation, compliance checks, and operational sign-off. That discipline created trust and allowed AI to move from isolated pilots into reliable practice.”
Successful AI adoption for executives starts at the top. That’s why Wang says that C-suite executives must take the lead in new AI rollouts and integrate compliance checks and good governance into every step of the way. This thoughtful approach to AI adoption ensures trust, eliminates costly missteps, and increases the odds of success.
“In my experience, enterprise-grade AI comes when leaders hardwire governance and measurable outcomes from the start; otherwise, it never escapes the project phase.”
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Editor’s note: Learn about Nutanix Enterprise AI technologies and the latest IT industry trends in the 2025 Enterprise Cloud Index report.
Marcus Taylor has worked as an executive and thought leadership writer for the information technology industry since 2016, specializing in SaaS, healthcare IT, cybersecurity and quantum computing. He is reachable through his website, mtwriting.com.
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