QuantumBlack AI by McKinsey released its new report, “The State of AI in 2025: Agents, Innovation, and Transformation.” The data serves as a mirror, reflecting a world where AI is now everywhere, and yet, in most organizations, not nearly deep enough to transform them. Nearly all companies are “using AI,” many are flirting with agents, a tiny minority are breaking beyond the status quo, and an even smaller group is quietly exploring new horizons. Below are the numbers that stood…
The Global Drucker Forum: Brian Solis on Mindshift, AI-Era Leadership, Value Creation, and the Power of Optimistic Innovation
Standing on the red carpet at the Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna with Franziska Graf, I was reminded why Peter Drucker’s ideas still matter… In this short conversation at the historic Hofburg Palace, we explore: 1) The importance of a “Mindshift” right now, and how rethinking our mindset is the starting point for meaningful change. 2) How AI demands a next-generation model of leadership (hint: AI doesn’t decide who loses their job, leaders do). 3) Why the true role of…
AI Adoption is an Act of Self-Disruption: An Interview with Invisible Machines
Brian Solis, is a digital anthropologist and futurist who serves as the Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow and is the former Head of Global Innovation at Salesforce. Brian is a bestselling author of Mindshift, which helps leaders learn how to see emerging trends, harness disruptive forces, and use them to fuel growth. Brian joins Robb and Josh, the authors of Invisible Machines, to talk with us about the importance of self-disruption in AI adoption. With so many genAI projects…
Innolead Interviews Brian Solis: Using AI to Support Innovation (and Iteration) at ServiceNow
Every company says they “do AI.” Few can show meaningful outcomes. We’ve been intentional about iteration and innovation. Iteration makes yesterday’s work more efficient. Innovation creates new value.💡 When you separate the two, you can measure cost takeout and progress…and prioritize what matters. If you’re leading transformation, ask: are your AI investments making yesterday cheaper…or creating tomorrow’s value? Please read this awesome piece by Dawn Kawamoto for InnoLead and let’s talk about where your org sits on the AI iteration–innovation curve. Using AI to Support…
What Would AI Do? Rethinking Transformation from Procurement to the Enterprise at DPW
Live from the floor of DPW in New York, I had the privilege of joining my long-time friend Mark Perera on the DPW podcast. We explored the future of technology, business, and leadership, while also looking back to our roots in Silicon Valley during the rise of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, Social Media, and smartphones. What made it truly special wasn’t just the set, it was the conversations I had with procurement leaders, innovators, and partners before stepping up to…
Igniting AI Transformation: How to Future-Proof Your Company in the Age of AI
Technology moves at its own pace, adoption moves at the pace of culture. I joined Deloitte’s AI Ignition podcast with Beena Ammanath, Executive Director, Deloitte Global AI Institute, to talk about why AI feels different from past waves of technology, what it asks of leaders, and how we can turn disruption into a competitive advantage. Beena opened by reminding us of a simple truth from Deloitte’s research: “technology moves at its own pace, but the adoption of the technology in…
Brian Solis Selected as Featured Speaker at SXSW Sydney 2025
Brian Solis is excited to announce that he’s joining SXSW Sydney 14 October. His session: “AI as the Mindshift for a New Leadership Paradigm” is open to all who welcome the opportunity to explore how AI unlocks new paths forward. Please add his session to your agenda.
The Digital (and AI) Culture Challenge; Bridging the Employee-Leadership Disconnect
I would have forgotten all about this report I co-authored with Jerome Buvat of Capgemini in 2017 if I hadn’t received an email from Sara Fonseca from Insead. She’s working on research around the shaping of organizational cultures in the context of larger digital transformations. Her inquiry centered on our report that explored the expansive gaps between executives and employees around leadership, digital transformation, and culture, “The Digital Culture Challenge; Bridging the Employee-Leadership Disconnect.” Her email inspired me to revisit…
Beyond the Hype: The Real State of AI in Business
Let me ask you a question… What’s moving faster, AI innovation or the rate at which organizations fall behind? While AI continues to advance at breakneck speed, many legacy companies are struggling to keep pace. The real challenge isn’t the technology itself, but the growing gap in alignment and execution. Most CEOs and board members believe they’re confidently leading their organizations into the AI era. Yet new data reveals a stark disconnect between the C-suite and frontline employees when it…
What Happens to Companies That Don’t Think Big Enough with AI?
I had the privilege of joining GoTo CMO Peter Mahoney on the Practically Tomorrow podcast. We talked about one of the most urgent, and misunderstood, topics of our time: how AI is reshaping the world of work. But this wasn’t just another conversation about automation and productivity. It was a much deeper exploration of how we need to rethink leadership, empathy, and innovation in the age of intelligent machines. “The most dangerous thing for any organization of any size is…
