Click here to listen now: AI Without the Hype: What Leaders Really Need to Know on Edge of Excellence
Artificial intelligence is shaping conversations in every industry. For many business leaders the real challenge isn’t doing something with AI, it’s doing the right thing. The pressure to adopt new technology is growing, fueled by promises of efficiency and fears of falling behind. AI isn’t a magic bullet. It’s a powerful tool that, when used thoughtfully, helps businesses work smarter, make better decisions, and stay competitive.
As Ed Perkins, Principal Consultant and vCIO at iuvo, explains:
“There are two extremes. One believes AI is bad and should be avoided. The other believes AI will solve every problem and replace entire teams. The truth is in the middle.”
In Episode 2 of the Edge of Excellence podcast, Ed joined hosts Jess DeForge and Bryon Beilman to cut through the noise and talk about what leaders really need to know to adopt AI effectively, responsibly, and with confidence.
The AI shift isn’t just buzz. It’s already transforming industries. Tech leaders like Nvidia and Salesforce are reporting massive gains driven by AI, and smaller organizations are asking the question: How do we keep up?
Ed makes an important observation:
“Even if leadership hasn’t formally adopted AI, your organization is almost certainly already using it.”
Employees are experimenting quietly and without clear direction. That’s where risk begins. Without structure, innovation can quickly lead to security gaps, compliance issues, and missed opportunities. The challenge is adopting AI responsibly.
Leaders need a clear framework for responsible AI adoption. Without governance and strategic oversight, AI initiatives can expose organizations to serious vulnerabilities.
Top Risks:
Ed shares one example:
“Organizations using Copilot discovered that internal payroll and HR files stored in unsecured SharePoint sites were unintentionally surfaced in AI-generated answers, exposing sensitive employee data.”
This is not a technological failure. It’s a governance gap that can be avoided with clear policies, proper access controls, and proactive oversight.
Creating an AI use policy is a necessity. As Forbes notes, companies without clear guidelines face compliance challenges, data security risks, and even intellectual property exposure.
Ed’s recommendation is simple and foundational:
“Every organization should have an AI use policy even if they’re not ‘doing AI’ yet.”
Here are some expert tips on how to create an AI use policy. Your policy shouldn’t say don’t use AI, it should instead define:
This approach:
A well-defined policy provides clarity on approved tools, data handling, and review processes. This structure empowers employees to innovate confidently while protecting the organization from costly mistakes.
Adopting new technology isn’t only a technical shift, it’s a cultural shift as well.
To make innovation stick, leaders need to create psychological safety around experimentation:
As Bryon points out:
“We use AI to eliminate the mundane so people can focus on creative, strategic work, not to replace talent.”
This mindset is the difference between a fearful organization and a future-ready one. Technology should empower people. When employees see that innovation is celebrated, not punished, they lean in. That’s where transformation truly begins.
For organizations in research, life sciences, finance, or healthcare, public AI tools often fall short of security and compliance requirements.
That’s where secure, private AI hosting platforms such as iuvo Secure AI come into play.
Private, self-hosted AI:
This approach helps teams move faster and innovate responsibly.
Ed recommends four practical steps to begin or realign your technology strategy:
AI is advancing faster than any technology shift in recent history. Leaders don’t need to know everything, but they do need to start the conversation.
As Ed says:
“Not making a decision is a decision. And it’s the one most likely to leave you behind.”
The next step doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and it can start with a conversation. If you’re ready to move forward but unsure where to start, we’re here to help.
We've worked with organizations across biotech, finance, government, and technology to deploy AI responsibly and effectively.
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As a future-ready technology company, we embrace AI as an accelerator to empower our teams and enhance the way we create. We believe that the reliability of AI technology depends on the people behind it, which is why every blog is supported by AI tools and then carefully reviewed, validated, and enriched by our subject matter experts. This balance enables and empowers our team to produce content that is useful, accurate, and trustworthy for our readers.