What CEO's really think
Most organisations have AI running, but not AI working.
The University of Phoenix 2026 C‑Suite AI Impact Report finds 63% of leaders have deployed AI, yet fewer than one-third are using it to transform workflows and that gap is where their value is leaking.
A survey of 150 North American C‑suite executives reveals that AI is moving from experimentation to execution.
Leaders say productivity and competitive advantage are real, but transformation is stalled by fragmented ownership, weak workflow integration, and employee distrust. Meanwhile, 90% see learning & development as the primary AI battleground.
This is the “post-hype hangover” phase. The tech works, but the organisation doesn’t. AI risks becoming a shiny add-on unless you build skills, create cross-functional alignment, and rethink how work actually gets done.
WHY IT MATTERS
This isn’t a tech problem, it’s a behaviour design problem. Scaling AI means rewiring habits, incentives, trust, and decision-making.
If employees fear AI, don’t understand it, or aren’t rewarded for using it differently, transformation dies in pilot mode.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
→ AI tied to workflow redesign, not just tools
→ Leaders role-modelling AI use (not delegating it)
→ Skills-based workforce strategies actually influencing deployment
→ HR + IT partnerships shifting from turf wars to co-ownership
→ Measurable behaviour change—not just adoption metrics [phoenix.edu]
LIMITATIONS
It’s a small sample, just 150 execs, North America-heavy, and self-reported—so expect optimism bias and polished narratives.
“Deployment” may mean pilots dressed up as progress, and “value” is loosely defined. The reality on the ground is likely messier, slower, and far more behavioural than leaders admit
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