AI doesn't replace leaders - it expands their capacity

"It is unmistakable: when applied thoughtfully, artificial intelligence (AI) doesn't replace leaders-it expands them. It expands their capability to imagine new possibilities. It expands their capacity to process complexity and act decisively. And it expands the collective intelligence of teams in ways we are only beginning to understand. We recently witnessed this transformation in a privately held infrastructure company in India. What unfolded in one executive committee meeting illustrates how AI can awaken the imagination, shift entrenched mindsets, and unlock new avenues for growth-even in seasoned executives."

"Its revenues depend on the growth in traffic and on the ability to increase prices. The price increases were linked to a government-determined formula and were insufficient in the face of double-digit increases in labor and material cost (largely imported bitumen and fuel). In an executive committee meeting, the COO proudly presented his achievements: We reprioritized the asset repair strategy to be within 3% of the allocated budgeted costs mitigating abnormal material costs increases."

Thoughtful application of artificial intelligence amplifies leaders' abilities to imagine possibilities, process complexity, act decisively, and enhance team collective intelligence. An Indian infrastructure company operating toll roads faced rising costs and stagnant revenues because price increases were constrained by a government formula while labor and imported material costs rose sharply. The COO reported strong operational measures—asset repair reprioritization within budget and benchmarking among top firms—alongside planned headcount reductions. The founder-chairman warned that at the current trajectory costs would outpace revenues amid subdued market growth and called for a fundamentally different approach to secure future growth.

Read at Fortune