The So What from BCG BCG Presents: The CEO Radar
Oct 29, 2025
Rich Lesser, Global Chair of Boston Consulting Group, discusses the urgent need for CEOs to embrace AI amidst ongoing challenges in its implementation. Vlad Lukić, BCG's Tech and Digital Advantage leader, highlights the disparity between CEO intentions and ground-level execution, advising firms to focus on ROI and strategic pilots. They delve into essential CEO traits like resilience and adaptability, the implications of tariffs, and the emerging role of agentic AI—all while emphasizing the importance of transparent communication about AI initiatives to gain competitive advantage.
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AI Adoption Shows A Clear Distribution
- About 5% of CEOs are at the cutting edge of embedding AI, 30–40% are progressing, and roughly 60% are struggling to scale beyond pilots.
- The hardest part is human change: embedding AI into processes, leadership skills, and organization, not just technology.
Signal AI Momentum To Talent And Buyers
- CEOs should communicate AI progress to attract talent and reassure buyers and partners about their innovation trajectory.
- Use public signals to show you're building capabilities and tools that make the company competitive in AI.
AI Driving Growth More Than Job Cuts Now
- In practice, BCG engagements show AI is being used to grow businesses rather than cut headcount in the short term.
- Winners combine efficiency gains with new value propositions that expand revenue and relevance.