In 2026, Be an AI Winner, Not an AI Loser.

AI is no longer a novelty. It’s becoming a normalized utility, but distributed very unequally.

The data shows us time and time again. In our “​State of AI in 2026​” webinar (recording available) earlier, I shared how ​Ramp data​ shows that 45% of US businesses are paying for AI:

But at the same time, we see huge gaps between groups of employees, like frontline workers versus executives, per ​global BCG data​:

AI says the benefits are widespread across the organization.

As we discussed before, this stems in significant part from the lack of vision and strategy among companies implementing AI.

Most companies are still using AI to speed up existing work rather than reinventing the business for a future in which AI delivers unparalleled new capabilities.

As I wrote in “​5 Key Questions Every AI Leader Needs to Ask Themselves​”:

“Figuring out which company you want to be, and then designing your change processes toward it, is an exercise every leadership team should undertake. (I’ll be on the right side with our company.)”

(Article continues after this break)

AI Winners Are Built Different

So what do these AI winners do differently?

• They close the frontline adoption gap. The BCG insight that there’s a 34% gap in GenAI usage between frontline workers and leaders is astonishing. Winners treat this as a workflow and training mandate—because value doesn’t scale until the bulk of the workforce uses AI in the flow of work.
• They move from chat to systems and repeatable workflows. Comparing ‘frontier users’ and laggards, OpenAI shows that top AI users tap it more frequently and use more advanced features, then turn AI into governed, reusable workflows rather than ad-hoc prompting.
• They eliminate tool sprawl by standardizing and integrating. Companies are adopting too many tools, with 70% not integrated beyond basic connections (Zapier). This disconnection drives adverse outcomes. AI winners go deeper, not wider, and standardize the AI tool stack for more end-to-end workflows.
• They look at outcomes, not activity. 73% of companies may have ROI processes, but 91% still struggle to measure value (Zapier). Just using AI doesn’t mean you’re truly benefiting. Winners focus on real business metrics, which drive AI adoption where it matters.
• They keep it human. Most importantly, the companies that do well, as BCG’s Debbie Lovich ​pointed out​ to our ​Lead with AI PRO​ members recently, tackle all this reinvention in a people-first way. They understand AI to be a tool that can improve work, not just as a way to get rid of the people that drive your business.

And all that only works when senior leadership 1) storytells and 2) role-models, like our heroic CEO earlier.

Adopt AI like a 1%-er yourself (​we can help​), model it to others, and drive the conversation about how everyone can and should follow your lead

Your future self will thank you.

Until next week,