Senior Managers Need to ‘Step Up’ on AI

Junior employees may be tech-savvy, but when it comes to teaching senior leaders how to leverage generative AI, they may be missing key insights. This gap in understanding can lead to risks that go beyond typical status dynamics, requiring more than project-level fixes, as highlighted in a recent Harvard Business School study by Ethan Mollick, Karim Lakhani, my former BCG colleague François Candelon and team. In short, senior leaders need to ‘step up’ on AI and not rely solely on new recruits to set the AI path.

➡️ RISK BLIND SPOTS: Juniors focus on routine adjustments, while experts recommend system-wide solutions to handle AI risks.

➡️ SPEED OF CHANGE: AI evolves so quickly that even tech-savvy juniors struggle to keep up, leaving seniors without reliable guidance.

➡️ ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ACCURACY: Juniors often misunderstand AI’s accuracy limits, overlooking known issues like ‘hallucinations’ or false outputs.

➡️ LIMITED IMPACT OF PROJECT-BASED TACTICS: Juniors often suggest project-level fixes, but experts argue that AI challenges demand higher-level interventions.

The Big Question: As AI reshapes the workplace, who is best equipped to help senior leaders navigate its complexities: tech-savvy juniors or seasoned experts with strategic insight? Probably both, but senior leaders have to join in.

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