Article

AI in the wild: views from the corporate landscape

Kersty Bletso, Heather Barnes 16 Apr 2026

AI letters as a lightbox in a wild forest

AI is no longer a question of if, but how.

This research paper is drawn from confidential, off-the-record conversations with CIOs, CTOs, COOs and CDOs from across the FTSE 100, UK and Europe’s largest private firms. What emerged was not a story of resistance or inertia, but of persistent misalignment between expectation and execution.

In AI in the wild: views from the corporate landscape, Kersty Bletso and Heather Barnes, alongside a foreword by Rob Hornby, Co-CEO at AlixPartners and AI and Technology Advisor to Executives, explore how organisations are navigating the shift from AI ambition to enterprise-scale delivery.

As AI moves beyond experimentation, the focus for technology leaders is clear: bridging the gap between strategy and execution to unlock real, measurable value.

 

AI sign on a boardroom table

Kersty Bletso

Kersty is a partner in Leathwaite’s global executive interim business, based in our London office. She is focused on appointing exceptional senior interim talent that drives transformation and value creation, across all sectors and industries, enabling clients to benefit from…

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headshot of Heather Barnes

Heather Barnes

Heather is a Partner in Leathwaite’s global Technology, Data & AI Practice, advising boards and executive teams on the leadership needed to drive digital transformation and enterprise innovation. She appoints CIOs, CTOs, Chief Data, AI Officers, CISOs, and other senior…

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