AI at a crossroads: The state of the industry on trust, leadership, and execution Video

In this episode, Phil Fersht is joined by members of the HFS Global Advisory Board to explore why AI has reached a critical inflection point for enterprises. The panel features Malcolm Frank, Steven Hill, Mark Hodges, Cliff Justice, Mary Lacity, and Jesus Mantas, bringing together decades of leadership experience across consulting, academia, and global enterprises.

Together, they discuss the growing gap between AI experimentation and real execution, and why trust, leadership conviction, and organizational design are now the biggest barriers to scaling AI. While individuals are rapidly adopting AI in their daily work, enterprises remain slowed by process debt, siloed structures, and fear-driven decision-making.

The discussion also examines how AI is reshaping services, workforce models, and business outcomes, and why success will depend less on technology and more on culture, accountability, and the willingness to redesign how work gets done.

To watch the full webinar, visit here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/webinar/ai-at-a-crossroads-the-state-of-the-industry-on-trust-leadership-and-execution/

What you'll hear • Why enterprises are struggling to move from AI experimentation to execution • The AI velocity gap between individuals and organizations • How trust, fear, and leadership behavior are slowing adoption • Why process debt is a bigger barrier than data or technology • The shift from effort-based services to outcome-driven models • How AI is reshaping workforce structures and middle management

Key takeaways • AI challenges are more about people, culture, and leadership than technology • Trust in AI remains a major barrier, especially at senior leadership levels • Process ownership and accountability are critical to unlocking value • Enterprises must redesign workflows, not just layer AI onto existing systems • Services firms must move toward outcome-based models to remain relevant • Organizations that act with speed and conviction will outpace competitors

Chapters 00:00 Introduction and panel overview 00:20 Meet the HFS Global Advisory Board 02:20 The AI velocity gap in enterprises 04:17 Why adoption is slowing inside organizations 05:02 Trust vs capability in AI adoption 06:41 Lack of strategy and enterprise readiness 07:59 Building trust and securing AI systems 09:07 Process debt as the biggest barrier 10:40 Leadership, culture, and change management 12:46 Overcoming fear and driving adoption 14:42 The shift to services as software 16:48 Industry disruption and business model change 18:28 The future of services and global impact 21:09 Key takeaways from the panel 24:50 Closing remarks