via Avasant As companies worldwide grapple with AI implementation, a critical gap has emerged between executive ambitions and organizational reality, revealing the urgent need for a fundamental shift in how we approach AI-driven change. At Avasant’s recent Empowering Beyond Summit 2025, Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow and nine-time bestselling author, delivered a compelling case for why businesses must disrupt themselves to fully realize AI’s transformative potential. His insights illuminate the path forward for organizations seeking to move…
AI Business Reinvention Starts Where Legacy Thinking Ends
I recently sat down with Geoff Nielson on Digital Disruption, produced by Info-Tech Research Group, for a conversation that went far beyond the usual AI headlines. We talked about what AI is actually changing inside the enterprise, why so many organizations are mistaking activity for progress, and what leadership has to do with whether AI becomes a force for optimization or reinvention. Please do watch the conversation (video embedded below). It’s fun and rich with insights from the frontline of…
Something big is happening with AI, but the bigger story is who is closing the AI gap
The AI community is buzzing around an essay published by Matt Shumer , “Something big is happening.” In it, Shumer describes a moment when AI capabilities are far outpacing society. He argues that most individuals aren’t keeping up with the speed of the change, comparing this point in time to the “this seems overblown” phase before COVID-closures and impacts hit worldwide. His takeaway is that disruption “is happening right now,” even if it sounds crazy. Shumer’s point is that we’re…
Chief Executive: The Mindshift CEOs Can’t Ignore – and why they need a mindset shift now
There’s a familiar pattern that plays out in C-Suites and boardrooms in every industry around the world. Something big happens…an economic shock, a geopolitical event, a climate disaster, a technological leap, like ChatGPT or tomorrow’s big quantum event, and for a moment, everything feels…different. Urgent. Unavoidable. “We need to do something!” becomes the prevailing mantra. And then, almost quietly, we drift back into business as usual. Not because leaders don’t care. Not because they’re not paying attention. But because the…
Brian Solis and Martin Ristov on How to Power Enterprise AI Innovation
I had the opportunity to work with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Martin Ristov, and Ann Culver on a video that explores how ServiceNow and AWS power intelligent AI transformation. By connecting workflows, data, and people, organizations can deploy customized AI solutions through the Now Assist platform using multiple foundation models while maintaining security and compliance. Learn how this partnership enables responsible AI practices and drives tailored outcomes without managing complex ML infrastructure. Please watch! 👀 Shot at AWS in San…
Innovation Meets Inspiration: 3×3 Insights Interviews Brian Solis about the importance of a Mindshift Right Now
3 questions…3 minutes. That’s the premise of this conversation. Innovation is having a moment, and not just in the “new tech, new tools” way. What I’m seeing (and writing about) more than ever is a deeper shift: how leaders are rethinking transformation through the lens of people, purpose, and possibility. That’s the foundation for my latest book, Mindshift: Transform Leadership, Drive Innovation, and Reshape the Future. That’s why I enjoyed joining Katja Weber on the latest episode of Deutsche Telekom’s…
“We’re Not Building a Phone”: Steve Jobs’ Leadership Lesson for Reframing the Future
The beauty of this moment is that every one of us gets to be a leader of what’s next. Why now? Because the only playbook that exists is for yesterday. There is no playbook for tomorrow. No proven answers. No “best practice” to copy and paste. No “quick win” use cases that unlock new value. And that’s exactly the point. Right now, I define leadership in a simple (and slightly uncomfortable) way: a leader is someone willing to think differently…
From Siloed Experiments to AI Operating System: Architecting the Next-Gen Enterprise Right Now
I recently had the opportunity (again!) to work with Ann Culver from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Todd Pruzan at Harvard Business Review 🙌 on a special webinar and playbook. And they’re now available! (email gate). Links below! ⬇️ Why this is worth your time… We dug into a tension we’re seeing in C-Suitesand boardrooms: Most organizations are still stuck in AI “pilot purgatory” and the box of “business as usual.” Companies have PoCs, scattered experiments, and a lot of…
AI Will Expose Leaders Who Think Like Machines: The Future Belongs to Architects of Possibility
It’s been a dream to meet my idols, fellow peers, and also present at the Global Peter Drucker Forum. In 2024, Richard Straub and Julia Kirby made that dream a reality. And in 2024, we were just about two years into generative AI disruption that continues to disrupt enterprises and management thinking globally. I’m proud, and more than ready, to return in 2025. And in the one short year it’s been since I’ve last joined this incredible group of academics,…
The Agentic Playbook: Aligning Tech and Talent at the CIO-CHRO Crossroads
I’m so excited to share this with you…as part of the new “Innovation Office” we’re building at ServiceNow, we will produce original research and thought leadership to help our colleagues, customers, and partners (and you!) transcend macro and micro trends into opportunities for innovation and business transformation. Our first series of publications are branded “Innovation Briefs.” They are short-form hybrid reports that combine research, practitioner-based thought leadership, and futurism…all meant to be read and actionable by everyone. In a lot…