As AI enters a new phase of maturity in 2026, we’re highlighting this MIT discussion to provide our community with the discipline and clarity needed for long-term technology oversight. MIT experts Thomas Davenport and Randy Bean cut through the 2026 AI hype to reveal why some investments stall while others deliver tangible value. From the rise of Chief AI Officers to building scalable "AI factories," this forward-looking analysis provides boards with the necessary discipline

Today’s boards face complex markets, powerful CEOs, disruptive technologies, and rising expectations. Artificial intelligence offers support without replacing directors: it synthesizes information, improves preparation, provides forecasts and risk analyses, and even monitors emotional dynamics to strengthen trust. Though AI cannot instill purpose or integrity directly, it enhances the four other dimensions—information, time, action, and emotion—on which board “spirit” depends. By enabling directors to see better, further, and faster, AI shifts governance from episodic meetings to continuous, anticipative oversight. AI empowers boards to remain human-centered institutions that can navigate disruption and safeguard corporate integrity.

Today’s corporate directors are navigating a volatile era defined by the convergence of climate mandates, rapid technological shifts, and geopolitical friction. Research from the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre indicates that this high-stakes environment is creating apprehension among board members, as they struggle to map the unpredictable consequences of these interconnected forces. While boards have largely embraced their role in managing societal impact, they remain notably underprepared to forecast risks, especially regarding generative AI, and struggle to convert these disruptions into strategic advantages. To prevent decision paralysis and secure future growth, organizations must urgently modernize their governance frameworks to anticipate systemic changes rather than merely reacting to them.

At the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2026, the conversations reflected a world that is no longer defined by a single center of power but by a complex, multipolar reality. Leaders face overlapping uncertainties—from rapid technological shifts and the climate emergency to intensifying geopolitical tensions—that demand new ways of thinking. In Davos, the Meet the Leader podcast turned the spotlight on decision‑makers, asking them not for solutions but for the questions guiding their leadership in this moment. Their reflections reveal how curiosity and inquiry remain essential tools for navigating disruption and shaping a more resilient future. This episode captures the pulse of leadership in 2026 and the questions that matter most.