Insights
Most boards are attempting to govern AI without understanding what's actually happening in their organizations. That gap - between what executives think is going on and what's really running - is where I spend my time.
Weekly, I publish Elemental AI on Substack and record a companion podcast, Elemental AI: The Briefing. The articles and podcast episodes tackle the real challenges executives and board members face - communication gaps between technical teams and boards, governance failures, shadow AI, practical implications of regulations, and frameworks that actually work.
These aren't academic think pieces. They're grounded in what's actually happening in organizations right now and what boards need to understand to provide meaningful oversight. Whether you prefer to read or listen, you'll find frameworks you can use, questions you should be asking, and clear thinking about how to govern AI at the pace it's actually moving.
Featured Articles
Lost in Translation: When Technical Teams and Boards Speak Different Languages
Technical teams say "bias testing" and boards hear "we're covered." Real cases like Workday and Heartland Dental show what happens when boards approve AI systems based on reassuring jargon instead of clear answers.
AI Shockwaves: The Oversight Crisis
Companies are multiplying AI output 10x without multiplying review capacity - and the math doesn't work. When reviewers spend 60% less time checking AI work despite higher error rates, "human in the loop" becomes an illusion.
Playing Battleship in the Dark: Why Your AI Policy Can't Wait
Without an AI policy, employees are taking shots blind - and eventually someone hits your battleship. Samsung engineers leaked trade secrets to ChatGPT. Lawyers submitted briefs with fake citations. A clear policy isn't defensive bureaucracy; it's how companies move faster with confidence.
When the Bots Grow Up, What Will We Do?
While headlines deliver eulogies for human labor, others announce jobs that don't exist yet: AI Personality Designers, Escalation Officers, Synthetic Relationship Counselors. The real governance gap isn't a checklist problem - it's an imagination problem.
The AI Opportunity: Why Now Is Your 1968 Moment
Bill Gates had computer access in 1968 when most people had never seen one. We're in another rare inflection point, but most companies wait for urgency while someone else builds capabilities. The winners aren't decided yet - you just need to start.
