Strategy & Leadership

Why this dimension matters

Organizations plateau at maturity level 2 (Exploring) more often because of unclear ownership than because of technical gaps. Named accountability with real budget authority is the single strongest predictor of movement to level 3 within 12 months.

Signals we look for

• Named executive sponsor with budget authority
• AI strategy documented and reviewed at board level
• AI-adjacent P&L accountability

What this dimension looks like at each maturity level

1. 1Aware

   No named GenAI sponsor. Experimentation is bottom-up, often unfunded, and not visible to executives.

2. 2Exploring

   An executive sponsor exists with a first-year budget. 2-3 initiatives underway with informal metrics.

3. 3Operational

   Published GenAI strategy tied to business outcomes. Cross-functional steering committee meets monthly.

4. 4Integrated

   GenAI embedded in every business unit's annual planning cycle. Portfolio management with stage-gates.

5. 5Autonomous

   Board reviews GenAI value delivery quarterly. GenAI is a P&L line, not a cost line.

6. 6Transformative

   GenAI capability defines new product lines. Operating model is AI-native by design.

Common blockers

• Ownership sits with IT rather than a business-line executive with P&L accountability.
• Budget is a one-time project spend rather than a recurring operating budget.
• No executive-level KPI tied to GenAI outcomes.

How to move up a level

• Assign a named executive with GenAI in their bonus targets.
• Convert one-time project funding to an annual operating budget.
• Publish a one-page GenAI strategy document reviewed by the executive team.
• Add a GenAI KPI to the corporate scorecard (adoption, value delivered, or risk reduction).