How middle managers are bridging the gap between the AI dreams hatched in the C-suite and the real world

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How middle managers are bridging the gap between the AI dreams hatched in the C-suite and the real world

By Kylie Robison | Fortune Magazine | December 14, 2023

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Middle managers are accustomed to translating the dreams of senior leadership into reality. When it comes to AI projects, however, the bridge connecting the grand plans of the C-suite to the realm of the doable can be tricky to find for those tasked with crossing it.

“The disconnect is between vision and practicality,” says Deloitte Consulting’s principal and global generative AI leader Nitin Mittal. “This is somewhat ubiquitous in our own client base and the many, many enterprises that we talk to.”

The challenge is to stay true to the vision while being responsible and understanding the practical constraints of the organization, like data, technology, and the skills of the workforce, Mittal added.

Speaking at a special session at Fortune‘s Brainstorm AI conference Tuesday, Mittal and executives at several other companies discussed the “productivity paradox” that can erode the promised benefits of AI if projects aren’t planned and executed thoughtfully. AI’s potential to make organizations 40% more efficient by 2035, as forecast by the World Economic Forum, has generated a lot of excitement and expectations that can all too easily turn into disappointment. 

The gap between heady expectations and on-the-ground challenges is reflected in a survey that Upwork CEO Hayden Brown cited during the talk: A research institute surveyed 1,400 businesses in the U.S. about their AI strategies, and the findings showed that 73% of C-suite executives are confident in their AI strategy, while only 53% of managers and VPs feel the same way.

“The managers and VPs implementing the technologies not only are confused about how, they’re actually very anchored on risk and fear,” Brown said. “They were disproportionately speaking to concerns around that technology, and how it could be implemented, and whether their jobs or their team’s jobs would be replaced.”

While these risk cannot be underestimated, Salesforce’s chief ethical and humane use officer Paula Goldman described a positive and excited attitude toward AI at the firm, with a strong desire to experiment and integrate the technology across all departments. For her, these risks present an opportunity for innovation, creating a sense of trust that aligns with the goals of enterprises.

3 key takeaways from the article

1. Middle managers are accustomed to translating the dreams of senior leadership into reality. When it comes to AI projects, however, the bridge connecting the grand plans of the C-suite to the realm of the doable can be tricky to find for those tasked with crossing it.
2.  AI’s potential to make organizations 40% more efficient by 2035, as forecast by the World Economic Forum, has generated a lot of excitement and expectations that can all too easily turn into disappointment. 
3. The gap between heady expectations and on-the-ground challenges is reflected in a survey that Upwork CEO Hayden Brown cited during the talk: A research institute surveyed 1,400 businesses in the U.S. about their AI strategies, and the findings showed that 73% of C-suite executives are confident in their AI strategy, while only 53% of managers and VPs feel the same way.

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Topics:  Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Middle Management