Recent research shows small, medium, and large companies are all racing to implement AI. Among small and medium-sized businesses, 42% are using AI, and over half report financial savings. Nearly three-quarters of employees say it boosts their productivity, and 60% report higher satisfaction at work. Meanwhile, large companies are even further ahead, with McKinsey’s 2025 Global AI Survey showing 78% deploying AI across at least one business area.
But results are uneven. Some companies are racing ahead, pulling clear value from their AI investments, while others are struggling, stuck in pilot mode or seeing little payoff.
As an AI business and leadership coach, Fortune 500 advisor, and startup AI strategist, I believe AI is not just a tech story but a leadership test that separates winners from the rest. Based on what I have seen firsthand, success depends on how companies integrate AI across their systems. The best-run organizations use AI to rethink how everything connects, rather than just patch weak spots. Here is how they do it:
Leaders Who Hold Back Lose Big
The best leaders do not play small. Instead, they take bold risks and embrace innovation because they know results come from driving change. Struggling leaders wait for the right time, the right tool, or the right team, and that hesitation keeps them stuck. To win, leaders must act decisively and commit to transforming their systems now.
Misaligned Teams Cancel Out AI Gains
Quick decisions mean little if teams are not aligned. Strong leaders slow down just enough to set shared goals and create clarity. Many struggle because they chase quick wins without ensuring their people work toward the same outcomes. Without alignment, even the smartest technology will fail.
Scaling Without Structure Fails Fast
Many leaders want to scale AI but push teams without redesigning how work happens. Effective leaders understand that scaling demands more than pressure. It takes reshaping roles, adjusting workflows, and strengthening accountability to support AI success.
Data Without Strategy Wastes Potential
AI depends on data, but volume alone does not guarantee success. Forward-looking leaders know it is not about gathering the most data but using the right insights to solve the right problems. Without a focused strategy, even the most powerful AI underperforms.
Winning with AI is not about company size. It is about leadership that looks beyond the tools and drives the entire system forward. The most strategic leaders shape organizations that stay aligned, adaptable, and sharply focused. When they do, AI moves from isolated experiments to meaningful, lasting change that helps companies of every size achieve real success.
AI Leadership Edge Tip: Winning with AI has nothing to do with company size. It comes down to leaders who build the alignment, structure, and focus that let AI create real, lasting impact.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- How Smart Leaders Are Using AI to Make Better Decisions, Faster
- The New Leadership Model for Managing Teams Powered by AI
- 4 of the Most Important Skills of the Future
- The Future of Leadership Development: How to Prepare for What’s Next
- This is How AI Will Change the Future of Leadership
- What Leadership Skills Will Be Needed In the Future
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.