In this episode of Tech Talks, Ascendion CEO Karthik Krishnamurthy joins David Savage to position AI as a question of leadership, not implementation. He pushes back on the idea of appointing a “Chief AI Officer,” arguing that it diffuses ownership at a time when clarity is critical. Instead, he makes the case that AI must sit squarely with the CEO, as its impact cuts across every function and decision layer. The discussion moves past the fixation on AI agents and pilots, focusing instead on what it takes to reshape how a company actually runs. Karthik cautions against incremental adoption, pointing to a fast-approaching inflection point for organizations that hesitate. What is required, he argues, is a willingness to rethink operating models, decision structures, and execution at scale. AI, in this view, is not an add-on capability but a shift that will determine which companies remain competitive and which fall behind.

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