Navigating AI: Leadership's Crucial Role in Transformation
WHO:
Fast Company - Michael Schreibmann is the CEO and cofounder of Star.
Fast Company - Amit Zavery is the president, CPO, and COO of ServiceNow.
WHAT:
Fast Company - Companies that rethink workflows achieve step-function improvements, such as halving process steps and reducing administrative headcount.
Fast Company - A client reported a $70,000 cost incurred from AI token usage due to lack of controls.
Fast Company - Companies stuck in automation mode typically see 10%-30% productivity lifts, while those that rethink workflows achieve step-function improvements.
Fast Company - Companies that rethink workflows achieve step-function improvements, such as halving process steps and reducing administrative headcount.
Fast Company - Organizations that achieve significant outcomes, referred to as AI Pacesetters, are 63% likely to have formal governance in place, compared to 42% of their peers.
Fast Company - A client reported that their initial AI plan focused on automation, which was later found to be limited and not addressing the root causes of inefficiencies.
Fast Company - AI transformation is described as a process of "organizational recomposition," which involves upskilling and reassembling the workforce.
Fast Company - Mark Zuckerberg admitted that Meta made "mistakes" in restructuring around AI too quickly.
Fast Company - A client reported a $70,000 cost incurred from AI token usage due to lack of controls.
Fast Company - Gartner projected that 40% of AI initiatives would be cancelled by the end of 2027 due to escalating costs and inadequate risk controls.
Fast Company - Companies stuck in automation mode typically see 10%-30% productivity lifts, while those that rethink workflows achieve step-function improvements.
WHERE:
Fast Company - ServiceNow runs more than 100 billion workflows and eight trillion transactions per year.
WHEN:
Fast Company - In June 2025, Gartner made a projection regarding AI initiatives.
WHY:
Fast Company - The main concerns from customers and boards today revolve around trust and control in AI systems.
Fast Company - The main concerns from customers and boards today revolve around trust and control in AI systems.
Fast Company - Companies are using AI to accelerate workflows they should be eliminating, leading to faster versions of legacy processes.
HOW:
Fast Company - To avoid the automation trap, leaders should start with zero-based design, involving cross-functional teams early and measuring by business outcomes rather than tasks automated or hours saved.
Fast Company - To avoid the automation trap, leaders should start with zero-based design, involving cross-functional teams early and measuring by business outcomes rather than tasks automated or hours saved.
Fast Company - AI governance is described as being only as strong as the data governance underneath it.
Fast Company - Effective AI governance requires real-time knowledge of AI systems and actions, along with policy enforcement before actions execute.
Fast Company - To avoid the automation trap, leaders should start with zero-based design, involving cross-functional teams early and measuring by business outcomes.
Companies that rethink their workflows are seeing remarkable improvements, such as cutting process steps in half and reducing administrative staff. However, some clients are facing significant costs, like a reported $70,000 due to unregulated AI token usage, highlighting the growing concerns around trust and control in AI systems. To escape the automation trap, experts recommend that leaders adopt a zero-based design approach, engage cross-functional teams from the start, and focus on measuring success by business outcomes rather than just the tasks automated or hours saved.