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Forbes

The Need For AI Fluency In Modern Executive Leadership

Chaitanya Laxminarayana, Director of Data & AI at T-Mobile, leverages AI to turn data into insights that drive business growth. In today's hyper-connected, data-saturated world, AI is no longer confined to the domain of data scientists and technologists. It is rapidly becoming a central pillar of enterprise strategy, reshaping industries and redefining the nature of competitive advantage. For executive leaders, AI fluency is emerging as a critical competency—not to write code or build models, but to ask the right questions, make informed decisions and set a compelling vision for the future. Why AI Fluency Matters At The Top The strategic decisions made in the C-suite increasingly depend on the intelligent use of data. A recent MIT Technology Review Insights survey of 300 C-suite executives and senior technology leaders found that solving data management challenges is a top priority. AI is at the heart of this shift, with the survey finding that 82% of respondents said that "scaling AI or generative AI use cases to create business value" is guiding their data management efforts. This is because AI can enable more accurate forecasts, automate operations, enhance customer experiences and drive innovation. Yet, many leadership teams struggle to realize AI's full potential because they lack a working understanding of what AI can (and cannot) do. A recent Gartner report found that 77% of CEOs see how AI is reshaping businesses but think their organizational leadership lacks the capabilities "to support, drive or accelerate business outcomes" with AI. AI fluency can bridge this gap by empowering executives to: • Recognize opportunities for AI to add business value. • Assess feasibility and risks of AI initiatives. • Align AI investments with enterprise goals. • Communicate effectively with technical teams and stakeholders. This fluency fosters trust and alignment across the organization and ensures that AI projects are not just technically sound but strategically relevant. From Awareness To Action AI fluency is not about turning executives into engineers. It's about cultivating the ability to lead in an AI-driven world. This involves: 1. Understanding AI Fundamentals: Leaders should grasp key concepts such as machine learning, natural language processing and generative AI. More importantly, they should understand how these technologies translate into business use cases that support growth, efficiency and customer engagement. 2. Interpreting AI Outputs: As AI systems influence decision-making across domains—from marketing to operations to HR—executives must be able to critically assess AI outputs. This includes understanding confidence levels, identifying potential biases and recognizing when human oversight is necessary. 3. Championing Ethical And Responsible AI: With growing scrutiny around AI ethics, leaders must establish and enforce guidelines to ensure AI applications are transparent, fair and aligned with organizational values. Public trust, brand reputation and regulatory compliance depend on ethical stewardship. 4. Driving A Data-Driven Culture: AI success is deeply dependent on the health of data ecosystems. Executives play a critical role in promoting data literacy, investing in data infrastructure and encouraging decision-making rooted in data insights rather than instinct or hierarchy. Building AI Fluency Across The Leadership Team An organization can only move as fast as its slowest node of understanding. That's why building AI fluency across the leadership bench is a strategic priority. Practical steps include: • Tailored Executive Learning: Offer AI and data literacy programs designed for non-technical leaders, focusing on strategic implications rather than technical depth. • Cross-Functional Workshops: Facilitate sessions where business, technical and operational leaders co-develop AI use cases and prioritize initiatives. • AI Literacy KPIs: Embed AI fluency metrics into leadership performance reviews and strategic planning processes. • AI Ambassadors: Appoint cross-functional AI champions to bridge business and tech, accelerating adoption and buy-in. The Bottom Line In the era of AI, leadership is no longer just about vision and execution—it's about understanding the intelligent systems shaping our future. Executives who cultivate AI fluency are not only better equipped to steer their organizations through complexity; they become catalysts for innovation, trust and long-term value creation. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?