Why Senior Leaders Must Engage Early in the AI Conversations

By Stephen Hall, Chief Executive of Makaton

The Urgency of Early Engagement Why is it important for me as a leader to be engaged in the AI conversations early?

The first and most important thing to say is that this is something that's not going to go away. It's going to get quicker and increasingly important. The risk is that as an organisation, if we don't engage with AI in a meaningful way that delivers value to our members and generates revenue whilst doing so ethically, we will fall further and further behind the curve. We may ultimately no longer be here in 10, maybe even five years.

Leadership Sets the Tone It's vitally important that I, as a senior leader, understand AI because if I don't understand it, I can't expect my team to be there. Neither can I expect them to be evangelists, or at the very least early adopters, in this process. I need to understand it and get to grips with what AI really is and the concepts behind it.

Building Understanding Through Structure The toolkit that's been developed—particularly this first module—is excellent at setting out frameworks you need to examine and understand the different ranges of opportunities and risks in this space. There's a tendency within AI discussions to focus on negatives: hallucination of data, over-sharing of information. What this programme is helping me understand is that whilst these risks exist, they're actually about how I ensure ethical use of AI through proper governance, setup, and prompt models.

Responsibility for Ethical Implementation Actually, that's my responsibility as a senior leader: ensuring my teams understand these concepts. I work in a space with people with learning and communication difficulties. If you just let AI do its own thing, it often levels them out—doesn't make them appear in the systems and documents it produces. We have a duty of care to ensure those we serve are properly served by AI.

The Cost of Falling Behind This is why we need to understand and sustain pace on this journey. If we don't—as a charity and as an organisation in the membership association space—we'll simply be left behind. I'm genuinely fearful of that prospect.

Why I Value the AI-CAE Designation I'm really grateful for the help the AI Institute has provided. The AI-CAE programme has helped me move a long way in a very short space of time. Here's why I recommend it to fellow leaders:

Practical Frameworks Over Fear Rather than getting overwhelmed by AI's complexity, the programme provides practical frameworks for understanding opportunities and managing risks. It helps you move beyond common fears about AI to strategic implementation.

Leadership-Focused Content The modules are designed for senior leaders who need to champion AI adoption within their organisations. It recognises that if leadership doesn't understand AI, teams won't either.

Ethical Implementation Guidance The programme emphasises that many AI risks stem from poor setup and governance rather than the technology itself. It provides tools for ensuring AI serves your mission and stakeholders appropriately.

Sector-Specific Insights For those of us working with vulnerable populations or in mission-driven organisations, the programme addresses unique considerations around duty of care and ethical implementation.

Accelerated Learning The structured approach allows you to develop substantial understanding quickly, which is crucial given the pace of AI advancement and competitive pressures.

Moving Beyond the Status Quo

The reality is stark: engage meaningfully with AI now, or risk organisational obsolescence within five to ten years. This isn't about chasing technology for its own sake—it's about ensuring your organisation can continue serving its mission effectively in an AI-transformed world.

As leaders in the charity and membership sectors, we have particular responsibilities around ethical AI use. The AI-CAE designation provides the knowledge and frameworks to meet these responsibilities whilst positioning our organisations for sustainable success.

For more information about the AI-CAE designation, visit https://www.aiinstitute.cloud/ai-cae or email nrad@aiinstitute.cloud.