ADAPT Advisors from Alyve, HivePix, and The Consulting CIO on reshaping business and operating models for agentic AI

Over the past year, AI has dominated organisational agendas and boardroom discussions, yet it remains widely misunderstood.

Leaders are recognising that AI is no longer just a technical tool but a force that is reshaping business models, operating structures and strategic risk.

Boards are moving from simple guidelines to formal policies as they confront the broader implications of AI for governance, strategy and competitiveness.

At the same time, organisations are struggling to keep pace with rapid change.

Executives and board members cannot rely on one-off learning, as the technology evolves too quickly. Instead, they need a continuous rhythm of development supported by strong guidance from the executive team.

Many businesses are also realising that successful adoption depends less on the tools themselves and more on rethinking people, processes and operating models to ensure AI delivers meaningful value.

A persistent challenge is the fear of missing out, which is driving some organisations to focus on tools before identifying the problems they need to solve.

Leaders emphasise that value comes from applying first principles, grounding AI initiatives in business strategy and focusing on mission and impact.

Without this, organisations risk running quickly in the wrong direction.

The companies that succeed will be those that approach AI as a holistic transformation, invest in change capability and foster a growth mindset across their workforce and leadership.

This roundtable discussion brings together Mark Cameron, CEO & Director, Alyve, Claudine Ogilvie, CEO at HivePix and Former CIO at Jetstar Brett Raven, Fractional CTO and CIO at The Consulting CIO.

They explore how Australian organisations are navigating the rapid evolution of AI, its strategic implications and the leadership needed to drive meaningful change.

Claudine highlights that boards initially focused on basic guidelines simply to keep pace with rapid adoption but are now recognising that AI is reshaping operating models, strategy and risk.

This shift is moving organisations from loose guardrails to formal policies and clearer risk appetites as AI becomes a core strategic consideration rather than just a technical tool.

Mark emphasises that leaders cannot hope to keep up with the speed of AI through one‑off training.

Instead, executives and board members need ongoing learning rhythms and support from their organisations.

He stresses that AI adoption is fundamentally a people, process and operating model challenge.

Without mission‑focused alignment and clear strategic intent, organisations risk getting lost in technical detail or running quickly in the wrong direction.

Meanwhile, Brett warns that many organisations still begin with the tool rather than the problem, driven by a fear of missing out.

He argues that real value comes from first principles thinking, aligning AI to business strategy and being realistic about the effort required to achieve results.

All three speakers agree that successful adoption depends on leadership, thoughtful change management and a growth mindset across the workforce, supported by clear accountability and the ability to experiment safely.

Key takeaways:

• AI is reshaping strategy, not just technology: Boards are shifting from simple guidelines to formal policies as AI transforms operating models, business value and risk.
• Leadership and continuous learning are essential: Executives cannot rely on one‑off training and must adopt a consistent learning rhythm, focusing on mission alignment rather than chasing tools or trends.
• Starting with the problem, not the tool, determines success: Fear of missing out drives poor decisions and that meaningful value comes from first principles thinking, strong governance and carefully planned change management.