AI is not a niche tool or a future bet—it’s rapidly changing the world, and companies need to be diving into practical, strategic ways to integrate the technology across their business.  And yet, it feels like a surprising number of people and companies still don’t see it. 

Beyond AI, Innovation shouldn't be limited to products, services, and technologies. The most forward-thinking companies will recognize that how they operate is itself an area ripe for innovation. Adapting internal operations—how companies organize, communicate, and execute—is as critical as adopting new tools and technologies, like AI. Ignoring either dimension doesn't just leave organizations vulnerable; in fact, they will be displaced in this next wave of innovation and transformation. This is also a moment of tremendous opportunity to rethink traditional work norms—from the 40-hour workweek to rigid approval chains to the in-office default—and build more modern, flexible, and effective ways of operating. While the world has embraced hybrid models, asynchronous workflows, flexible benefits, and faster execution loops, many leadership teams are still catching up. I'd like to see more companies embracing this opportunity—not just because it's timely, but because it’s good for business, customers, and especially employees. Modernizing how we work leads to better outcomes, more satisfied teams, and more responsive organizations. We need to solve the challenges we face today with new, fresh approaches.

Side note: Not long ago, America led the world in building and innovation—but over the past 50 years, bureaucracy and red tape have made it nearly impossible to get big things done. A pretty interesting interview that makes this point.

Now, about AI.
One thing that excites me most about AI is its potential to eliminate mundane tasks, freeing people to focus on more rewarding, high-value work. Forward-thinking teams are using AI at scale to automate code reviews, generate UI prototypes, summarize meetings, assist with customer support, catch security vulnerabilities before they escalate, and optimize inventory forecasting to reduce waste and improve fulfillment accuracy. AI is accelerating execution, amplifying talent, and eliminating wasted cycles. To ignore or downplay its growing role is to misunderstand the speed at which modern businesses must operate. The reluctance to challenge the status quo—whether in how we work, what tools we use, or how fast we move—creates a gap between perception and reality. And that’s where disruption takes root.

To me, operational adaptation means rethinking outdated practices that no longer serve today’s needs. To operate effectively in a modern world, companies must rethink how they measure productivity—focusing on outcomes rather than hours worked, streamline decision-making by removing unnecessary layers of approval and enabling employees at every level to make real-time decisions, and replace standing weekly check-ins with ad hoc working sessions triggered by progress or blockers—letting momentum drive communication instead of the calendar. Those are just three simple examples. 

Nowhere is this more evident than in world of consulting. Consulting companies often exemplify the high cost of failing to adapt operationally. Rather than quickly addressing challenges clients are having and getting value out the door in hours instead of days or weeks, they cling to rigid practices: elaborate SOWs, exhaustive discovery phases, and inflexible methodologies. This adherence to outdated playbooks prevents rapid problem-solving, placing process over value delivery. Clients are left waiting for real value to be delivered and spending their money on non-value-adding activity. Too often, these consulting companies are more concerned with getting clients to adapt to their processes than adapting to the client’s actual needs. The unwillingness or inability to pivot away from rigid frameworks creates frustration, prevents value from getting out the door, wastes time and money, and ultimately diminishes relevance.

Ultimately, I think businesses face a clear choice: adapt operations, adopt transformative technologies like AI, or be inevitably displaced by competitors who do both. IT leaders, in particular, hold a tremendous opportunity—and responsibility—to drive their companies forward by facilitating adaptation and aggressively adopting AI throughout the organization. Those who embrace this role can position their companies to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Conversely, denying or hesitating to fully engage with AI could lead to irrelevance in just a matter of months, making decisive leadership in this area essential.

I’m hopeful more companies start embracing this shift—modernizing how they operate, not just for efficiency, but to build healthier companies while adopting AI to free people up for more meaningful work. It’s a win for business, customers, and especially employees.