- New Research from Boston Consulting Group Reveals Disconnect at the Top on AI Strategy and Execution
- Three-Quarters of Board Members Believe They Understand AI, but 35% of CEOs Say Boards Overestimate the Human Capabilities AI Can Replace
- More Than Half of CEOs Say AI Hype Is Distorting Boardroom Judgment
BOSTON—Sixty-one percent of CEOs say their boards are rushing AI transformation, exposing a divide at the top just as companies enter a critical phase of scaling AI. While both groups agree on AI’s importance, they differ on how quickly it should be implemented and how ready organizations are to deliver results.
These findings are from the first edition of Split Decisions: The BCG CEOs and Boards Survey. The research is based on a global survey of 625 leaders, including 351 CEOs and 274 board members, from companies with at least $100 million in annual revenue, spanning both private and public sectors.
Boards tend to favor faster AI implementation, according to the survey, while CEOs take a more measured approach. Gaps in AI understanding and FOMO (fear of missing out) may be contributing to this dynamic. Board members with lower confidence in their AI knowledge are more likely to believe their organizations are moving too slowly, suggesting that uncertainty is translating into increased urgency.
Boards’ AI Confidence Faces CEO Skepticism
While 75% of board members believe their AI knowledge is on par with or ahead of that of their peers, CEOs are less convinced. Nearly 40% say boards lack an informed view of how AI is reshaping growth strategy, and one-third say boards overestimate the human capabilities that AI can replace. (See the exhibit.)
“I feel this tension so acutely between CEOs and boards,” said Julie Bedard, a BCG managing director and partner. “A powerful way for CEOs to bridge the gap between their AI knowledge and their boards’—especially if they feel there is a deficit there—is for the CEO to personally lead an AI upskilling session for their board to show them the latest AI tools and what they can do. CEOs can also bridge the gap by talking about AI in a much more differentiated way to clearly illustrate where AI can be a substitute for humans and where it can complement human work.”
AI Hype and Misaligned Expectations Shape Boardroom Dynamics
More than half of CEOs say boards need to better understand the gap between AI hype and reality, while boards want CEOs to do a better job of selling them on their AI strategy.
CEOs report feeling greater pressure to deliver AI results than boards may fully recognize. Chief executives estimate that 35% of their performance evaluation depends on achieving AI ROI, compared with boards’ estimate of 27%, suggesting a mismatch between perceived expectations and formal accountability.
AI Literacy Emerges as a Shared Priority
Despite some misalignment, CEOs and boards broadly agree on the need to raise AI fluency at the highest levels of leadership. Approximately 80% of both groups say that prospective board members should be required to demonstrate a measurable understanding of how AI can reshape their industry.
“CEOs need to be very intentional about supporting their boards on the same learning journey they’ve taken,” said Judith Wallenstein, a BCG managing director and senior partner and the global head of the firm’s CEO Advisory. “But at a much faster pace, with more focus, and in a way that builds real understanding rather than just surface-level awareness of how AI can create true competitive advantage for the company.”
Media Contact:
Eric Gregoire
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gregoire.eric@bcg.com