Creative Intelligence: Why Boards must slow down in a world of accelerating AI
AI’s biggest challenge isn’t technical
I’ve watched artificial intelligence move from pilot projects to the core of corporate strategy. In banking, it shapes lending and trading; in manufacturing, it drives automation; in consumer industries, it powers recommendation engines that influence billions in sales. Next to AI adoption, the hardest parts are the moral and ethical dilemmas AI introduces. How boards respond to these dilemmas will determine not just its legitimacy but also its survival.
One paradox keeps striking me: AI accelerates decisions at precisely the moment leaders should slow down. Algorithms tempt us to act fast, but that very speed makes ethical oversight more urgent. Oversight isn’t something you can check off a compliance list. The critical shift is moving from “Can we?” to “Should we?” and making that question part of everyday governance, not an occasional debate.
AI is rising against a backdrop of geopolitical fragmentation. Brussels, Washington, and Beijing are moving in conflicting directions on data, privacy, and accountability. Compliance alone won’t cut it. Leaders need to navigate competing norms, balance stakeholder expectations, and build trust across cultures. Purpose and integrity are no longer soft ideals; they are strategic assets. We’ve already seen this in financial services, where firms that rushed AI into client interactions without transparency lost trust they may never regain.
In the last century, decisiveness and technical mastery defined strong leadership. Today, what counts is creative intelligence: the ability to combine ethical reasoning, imagination, and empathy.
The leaders we need most show:
- Courage take principled stands.
- Humility admit blind spots.
- Empathy connect choices to consequences.
- Integrity prioritize long-term legitimacy.
- Execution turn vision into results.
- Alignment serve the company’s strategy and vision.
- Resolve hold firm when values are at stake.
And the skills that matter?
Ethical reasoning, systems thinking, technical literacy (not coding, but asking the right questions), cultural agility, and the ability to communicate complex choices clearly.
What boards must do now
For boards, the implications are immediate. Five priorities stand out:
- Embed governance:create AI oversight, demand bias audits, and enforce accountability.
- Insist on transparency:invest in explainable AI that stakeholders can actually trust.
- Plan workforce transitions:commit to reskilling and redeployment to avoid reputational and political fallout.
- Treat trust as capital:view ethical choices as long-term strategic investments.
- Engage externally:shape regulation and norms, rather than scrambling to comply.
Towards a new definition of leadership
AI brings speed, efficiency, and predictive power. But it cannot provide judgment, conscience, or meaning. That responsibility lies with us. Boards that relegate ethics to risk management will be exposed. Boards that put moral reasoning at the centre of strategy will not only compete, but lead.
For me, the ultimate lesson is simple: in an age where trust is the most valuable currency, the real competitive advantage isn’t how fast we adopt AI. It’s the creative intelligence we bring as human leaders.
MetisBrown
Adnan Basaran
02-10-2025
