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Most companies operate with one of two assumptions about cyber disruption: that strong enough defenses will prevent it, or that a well-written business continuity plan will manage it when it happens. Our research, drawn from a global survey of 1,000 senior executives across 20 industries in 13 countries, suggests both assumptions are dangerously wrong.
Illustration by Ana Moreno
Stories are one way that leaders cement their legacy, inspire action, and define an era. The stories they tell about where a company is going can foreshadow opportunity or foment fear—sometimes unwittingly. Today, leaders are telling employees the story of what AI will mean for them. “No one knows,” some say, leaning into the 2010s-era virtue of transparency. “AI is coming for your job, but it’s coming for mine, too,” say others, in apprehensive solidarity. Still others position AI as a personal superpower, or the dawn of a heroic unknown. Each of these narratives is a choice. Each choice has consequences.
AI is rapidly changing how top leaders communicate with employees, customers, boards, and each other. In episode 2 of a special four-part series on how AI is changing leadership, we explore how executives can use AI to improve communication without outsourcing the thinking, judgment, and empathy that make it effective. Stanford professor Matt Abrahams and Zapier CEO Wade Foster discuss how leaders are using AI to synthesize information, structure ideas, prepare for difficult conversations, and rehearse for high-stakes moments. They also explain why leaders should be wary of letting AI write everything for them, how overreliance on AI can create a “comprehension gap,” and why preserving a distinctive human voice may become even more important as AI-generated communication becomes ubiquitous. Abrahams is the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and host of the podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart. Foster is the cofounder and CEO of Zapier, a software automation company.
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