Make confident AI decisions—without becoming a technologist.
Every board meeting has AI on the agenda. Every vendor promises transformation. Every headline announces a breakthrough.
Yet most executives still don’t have a clear, honest answer to the most important question: what should we actually do about AI, and when?
The Executive’s Guide to AI is a focused, two-hour video course that gives you exactly that. Not a technical deep-dive—a strategic briefing. You’ll learn to distinguish genuine opportunity from inflated promises, ask the questions your teams and vendors can’t dodge, and lead AI decisions with the same rigor you bring to any other major investment.
Who This Course Is For
- C-suite executives (CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CMOs) navigating AI adoption decisions
- VPs and senior directors responsible for strategy, operations, or digital transformation
- Board members seeking literacy on AI risk, governance, and competitive impact
- Business leaders who’ve been burned by overhyped tech before and need a grounded view
You don’t need to understand how AI works under the hood. You need to understand what it means for your business—and what to do next.
What You’ll Get
- ~2 hours of concise, executive-level video content
- A clear framework for evaluating AI investments and vendors
- Decision tools you can use immediately in planning and board discussions
- A realistic picture of where AI delivers ROI—and where it doesn’t
- Language to lead AI conversations credibly across your organization
What This Course Covers
1. The Executive Briefing on AI
A fast, accurate orientation to where AI actually stands—stripped of vendor spin and media hyperbole.
You’ll understand:
- What’s genuinely new about the current wave of AI—and what’s been rebranded
- Why now is both the right time to act and a dangerous time to rush
- The difference between generative AI, automation, and predictive analytics—and why it matters for budgeting
- How to read AI headlines with a critical eye
You’ll leave this section with the context to evaluate anything AI-related that lands on your desk.
2. Separating Signal from Hype
The single most valuable executive skill in the AI era: knowing what to believe.
We cover:
- The anatomy of AI hype—how it’s manufactured and why it’s so effective
- Common patterns in vendor demos that obscure real-world limitations
- What questions to ask before approving any AI initiative or investment
- Case studies of high-profile AI deployments—the wins, the failures, and the lessons
After this section, you’ll be the executive who asks the question the room was afraid to ask—and gets a real answer.
3. The Business Case for AI: Where the ROI Actually Is
Not all AI use cases are created equal. This section maps where AI consistently delivers—and where it routinely disappoints.
We look at:
- High-return AI applications by business function: operations, marketing, finance, HR, customer experience
- The difference between cost reduction, revenue generation, and capability building as AI outcomes
- How to evaluate a proposed AI initiative against real benchmarks
- Why “AI-first” strategies often underperform focused, targeted AI adoption
You’ll come away with a clear-eyed view of where to invest, where to wait, and where to walk away.
4. Evaluating Vendors and Technology Partners
The AI vendor landscape is crowded, fast-moving, and full of inflated claims. This section gives you a framework to navigate it.
You’ll learn:
- How to evaluate AI vendors beyond the demo
- The right questions to ask about data, model quality, and real-world performance
- What “built on GPT” or “powered by AI” actually means—and what it doesn’t guarantee
- How to structure pilots and proof-of-concept projects to get honest results
- Red flags that signal a vendor is over-promising
You’ll have the tools to make smarter procurement decisions and hold vendors accountable.
5. Risk, Governance, and Responsible AI
Every significant AI deployment carries risk. Leaders who ignore this create liability. Leaders who understand it gain competitive advantage.
We cover:
- The risk categories executives must own: reputational, regulatory, operational, and ethical
- What AI governance actually looks like in practice—not theory
- Data privacy, IP ownership, and compliance considerations in AI deployments
- How to build organizational guardrails without killing innovation
- What boards are increasingly asking about AI—and how to be prepared
You’ll finish this section able to lead the governance conversation, not just participate in it.
6. Building an AI-Ready Organization
Strategy without execution is just a presentation. This section focuses on what it takes to actually move.
We address:
- How to assess your organization’s current AI readiness
- The talent question: buy, build, or partner?
- How to sequence AI initiatives for momentum without overextension
- Change management realities that derail most AI programs
- What a realistic 12–18 month AI roadmap looks like for a mid-to-large organization
You’ll leave with a practical framework for leading AI adoption—not just approving it.
About the Instructor
Jay Vilalta is a software engineering leader and technology advisor with decades of experience guiding organizations through complex technology decisions. He has worked with executive teams across cloud strategy, digital transformation, and AI adoption—translating technical complexity into clear business framing.
This course draws on years of boardroom conversations, strategic planning work, and hands-on implementation experience. It’s built for leaders who need the truth about AI—not a sales pitch.