Leading Transformation in the Era of AI: Adapting Your Organization for the Future
Columbia Business School
AI & Digital Business
About Programme
AI transformation is not about the technology; it is about the business, first and foremost.
To thrive in the era of AI, leaders must continually reinvent their organizations. How do you transform an established business so it can adapt, compete, and grow as AI reshapes industries? By engaging people at every level and building on a deep understanding of your business.
Under the direction of David Rogers , acclaimed author and C-suite advisor, this executive education program takes a holistic approach to transformation, connecting strategy, organizational change, innovation, and governance with technology and data.
The Leading Transformation in the Era of AI program takes participants behind the scenes of organizations successfully navigating transformation and delivering real business results. Through case studies, strategic frameworks, and hands-on exercises, they will work alongside peers to apply the concepts to their own organizational challenges. By the end of the five-day program, participants will have developed an actionable plan for their transformation roadmap and gained the perspective and tools to lead change in the era of AI.
[1] Organizations that feel “completely ready” to successfully adopt AI.
10%
[2] Companies that fail at digital transformation.
70% - 95%
[3] Projected digital transformation spending by 2027.
“The challenge for every leader is to navigate continuous change. The digital era demands a new kind of organization.”
David Rogers
Programme Content
Day One
The Transformation Imperative Delve into the dilemmas facing every business leader in the era of AI and digital change. Understand the real-world context of the concepts in this program.
Day One
Identify the growth opportunities AI and digital can create for your business
Day One
Understand the risks of inaction and failure to change
Day One
Identify the biggest obstacles holding back business transformation
Day One
How AI Shapes Digital Transformation Discover how AI is accelerating change in every industry and increasing the pressure to transform.
Day One
Study real-world cases of AI applications that deliver business impact
Day One
Avoid the common pitfalls to achieving ROI on your AI investment
Day One
Understand the link between AI and previous waves of digital disruption
Day One
The Typologies of AI Learn why AI is not one thing and how to choose the right form of AI for different business problems.
Day One
Differentiate rules-based automation, machine learning, LLMs, and agentic AI
Day One
Compare their strengths, limitations, costs, predictability, and risk profiles
Day One
Match business problems to the right solution for your needs
Day One
The Roadmap: A Framework for Transformation Learn from real-world examples and the frameworks of David Rogers for how organizations can transcend their barriers to embrace change.
Day One
Identify the top challenges businesses face in their transformation journey
Day One
Learn from the successes and pitfalls of companies such as Disney, Walmart, Air Liquide, and Mastercard
Day One
Acquire a blueprint for organizational change that can keep pace with advances in the AI era
Day Two
Step 1: Define a Shared Vision Discover the importance of communicating a vision for the future of your organization in the era of AI.
Day Two
Understand the power of a shared vision in aligning the organization
Day Two
Define a vision with the four essential elements that will make your case for change
Day Two
Use your vision to engage both employees and investors
Day Two
Step 2: Pick the Problems that Matter MostLearn to accelerate AI and digital efforts by setting focused strategic priorities and moving away from a scattershot approach.
Day Two
Differentiate between strategic imperatives and chasing the latest technology
Day Two
Crystalize your strategic priorities at every level, using problem/opportunity statements
Day Two
Prioritize which problems are the highest value to solve at this time
Day Two
Tool: The Problem/Opportunity Matrix Map your challenges, define your priorities, and drive real growth.
Day Two
Discover a hands-on approach to defining strategic priorities for your business
Day Two
Understand the dimensions of the Problem/Opportunity Matrix and their strategic implications
Day Two
Work collaboratively to identify and refine your strategic priorities for digital transformation and growth
Day Two
AI for Competitive AdvantageLearn how to move beyond generic AI use cases and build advantage where your organization is positioned to win.
Day Two
Differentiate imitation from strategically distinctive AI investments
Day Two
Identify high-value problems where your data, capabilities, or position create an unfair advantage
Day Two
Study cases of how AI can reshape operations, customer value, business models, or your broader ecosystem
Day Three
Step 3: Validate New VenturesRecognize the need for iterative innovation in any successful AI or digital project. Learn the key insights of agile development, product management, design thinking, and lean startups.
Day Three
Discover the power of experimentation to reduce risk and accelerate speed-to-market
Day Three
Explore the roles of MVPs and staged metrics in validating your strategies
Day Three
Embrace the mindset shift required for iterative innovation at scale
Day Three
Tool: The Four Stages of Business Model ValidationHarness a structured approach to testing and building new digital and AI solutions.
Day Three
Learn the four critical stages: Problem, Solution, Product, and Business
Day Three
Progress from pilot to scale with the right metrics at each stage
Day Three
Test the key business assumptions for an internal tool versus a customer solution
Day Three
Risk & Validation for Enterprise AILearn to assess and mitigate the risks of enterprise AI, and validate new ventures before they become costly mistakes.
Day Three
Evaluate AI risk on two dimensions: how verifiable the output is, and how costly a mistake would be
Day Three
Apply techniques like autonomy limits, decomposition, and auditability to reduce AI risk
Day Three
Validate AI ventures for adoption, performance, risk, and ROI
Day Four
Step 4: Manage Growth at Scale – Teams, Boards, GreenlightingExplore strategies to support AI innovation at scale, balance competing goals, and manage a portfolio of bets serving different priorities.
Day Four
Empower teams to iterate, build fast, and deliver impact
Day Four
Design boards to foster innovation across the enterprise
Day Four
Align decision-making for green-lighting new ventures
Day Four
Step 4: Manage Growth at Scale Continued – Funding, Shutdowns, Scaling UpMaster the twin paths of shutting down and scaling up digital innovations based on business results.
Day Four
Design mechanisms for smart shutdowns
Day Four
Use iterative funding to allocate resources in a nimble fashion
Day Four
Manage the friction points in scaling new ventures
Day Four
Step 5: Build Technology & Data for an AI FutureIdentify and address technical debt – your critical gaps in data, technology, and AI governance.
Day Four
Learn why architecture matters: modular versus monolithic IT
Day Four
See how to grow data as a key asset for AI and business growth
Day Four
Develop technical oversight frameworks for the risks and costs of AI
Day Four
Reimagining AI Workflows Move beyond automating existing tasks to redesigning your workflows around what AI newly makes possible.
Day Four
Apply value templates – speed, cost, augmentation, scale, and new capabilities – to generate bolder AI ideas
Day Four
Recognize how AI shifts your bottlenecks, easing some constraints while leaving others firmly in place
Day Four
Redesign workflows starting from the outcomes you want, not your current process steps
Day Five
Define a Digital Culture Recognize the essential role of your mindset and culture in driving long-term transformation success.
Day Five
Understand the key characteristics of an AI-ready mindset and culture
Day Five
Learn how leaders use processes and incentives to shape culture at scale
Day Five
See how to leverage culture to attract, develop, and retain AI-native talent
Day Five
Positioning for an AI FutureLook beyond today’s AI use cases to anticipate how AI could reshape your industry and your organization’s future position.
Day Five
Identify what may become abundant, what will remain scarce, and where leverage will reside
Day Five
Reassess your value proposition as customer needs and industry roles evolve
Day Five
Explore bundling and unbundling strategies to strengthen your position
Day Five
The Roadmap in Practice – Lessons from The New York Times Reflect on the real-world journey of a media giant, understanding the struggles and ultimate success of its business transformation.
Day Five
Dive deep into the challenges, decisions, and strategies of The New York Times’ transformation
Day Five
Extract key lessons and insights applicable to organizations in every industry
Day Five
Rethink the leader’s role in a dynamic organization, capable of continuous, bottom-up change
Schedule
Five consecutive full days of in-person sessions on the Manhattanville campus in NYC
Schedule
Includes breakfast, lunch, and all materials for the in-person program
Schedule
Dates, fees, and physical locations are subject to change
Schedule
To view an agenda for either format of this program, please connect with a Learning Solutions specialist. Contact us.
Programme Audience
Leading Transformation in the Era of AI is designed for executives responsible for leading business transformation and AI initiatives, including digital strategy, marketing, innovation, technology, and organizational change.
C-suite executives tasked with defining their organization's roadmap for the digital future and AI
Heads of Strategy or Innovation focused on long-term growth, competitive advantage, and business reinvention
Heads of Transformation responsible for spearheading and overseeing organization-wide change initiatives
Functional leaders responsible for transforming areas such as finance, technology, supply chain, marketing, or sales through AI and digital capabilities
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