5 bold ways I use AI as a CEO, beyond automation

In planning meetings, in brainstorms, in the messy moments when decisions need to be made before all the information is in, AI is my copilot. But not in the “cute robot helper” way. I treat it like my sharpest strategist, fastest researcher, and most unflinching truth-teller.

As the CEO of Quantious, a future-forward marketing agency that works with tech companies, my job is to stay fast, smart, and endlessly curious; not just for myself, but for my clients. Having executive-level AI by my side is how I operate at scale without sacrificing strategy or soul.

Forget about the “hype” of AI. Let’s talk about what it really takes to work smarter, experiment faster, and free up time to be a creative leader—something that you cannot automate.

1. AI is my executive sparring partner

When you’re running a fast-growing company, you’re constantly making judgement calls without all of the details. Most people want ChatGPT to flatter them. I want it to challenge me.

I run new product ideas, positioning statements, and brand hypotheses through AI to surface the cracks I didn’t see. I use it to model outcomes, debate assumptions, and yes, poke holes in the “perfect” plan I thought I had.

Your team might be too polite to challenge you. AI won’t be, if you train it well. Start every session with a persona, such as: “You are my chief strategy officer. Your job is to challenge mediocrity and raise red flags.” Train it over time by giving feedback: “That’s too agreeable. Give me a sharper POV” or “This sounds like fluff. Get specific.” And really push it to dig deeper instead of giving you a standard response: “This idea solves the problem, but I don’t think it’s the best solution. Push me toward something bolder or more efficient. How would someone with 10x my time/resources/experience approach it differently?” You may be surprised where this back-and-forth can take you.

2. I use AI to protect my most valuable asset: Strategic attention

The less time I spend on routine admin tasks, the more time I have to steer the ship. AI is my secret weapon for clearing out the clutter. I use Bluedot to record and transcribe meetings—saving me and my team hours in cleaning up and consolidating notes, and turning around recaps and next steps in minutes. And if I need a detail from the discussion, I can even query the transcript to get the info I need, and all the context around it.

To start using AI for attention management, begin with one task you do often (summarizing docs, doing premeeting research, writing recap emails) and let AI take a pass. If you want to think strategically, you need space to think. AI gives it to you.

3. I never miss a market beat

I don’t have time to read every analyst report or listen to every podcast (who does?!) but I need those insights. AI curates the signal from the noise.

Perplexity Deep Research turns complex trend reports into briefs to share with my team, or even my clients. Waldo gives me market snapshots faster than a team of analysts. I’ve also dabbled in AI-powered podcasts, which summarize the most important industry news so I can catch up while on the go. They supplement my other favorite podcasts, so I’m always armed with the latest trends and biggest industry moves.

4. I baked AI into the org chart

At Quantious, AI isn’t a department. It’s a utility, like Wi-Fi or electricity.

Every team has access to tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Slack AI. Designers use it to explore creative variations. Ops uses it to document processes faster. Marketers draft content 10 times faster. The tech isn’t the point. The enablement is. While not every team member taps into these tools on a daily basis, having them in the toolkit keeps the door wide open for experimentation.

I’ve said it before: AI has made remote work more productive, seamless, and well-documented. We don’t just integrate AI into workflows; we integrate it into our collective intelligence. Because the point isn’t to do more faster, it is meant to elevate how we operate, across the board.

Remember, AI isn’t the intern. It’s your most strategic hire.

The truth is: Your team doesn’t need you to be a prompt engineer. They need you to be an AI-literate leader. AI is no longer a tool in your workflow. It’s a seat at your table. Treat it like a trusted advisor, and you’ll make sharper decisions, faster, without sacrificing strategy or soul.

Lisa Larson-Kelley is founder and CEO of Quantious.

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