The New P&L - Principles & Leadership in Business
Existential, Capability or Adaptability? A little AI Crisis Quiz
Published: 29 May 2026 at 11:41 Europe/London
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Episode notes
In this episode of The New P&L TO THE POINT, Paul explores the growing conversation around AI that increasingly positions it as an ‘existential crisis’ for businesses and society.
Drawing on insights from dozens of executive roundtablesheld across the UK and Europe with CIOs, CTOs, CMOs, HR leaders and transformation executives, Paul reflects on how the AI conversation has evolved at remarkable speed. In just a couple of years, organisations have rapidly shifted from asking What is AI? to How do we deploy it? and now increasingly Why are we using it in the first place?
At the heart of the discussion is a critical observation: many organisations approached AI implementation in reverse order. Businesses rushed into experimentation and deployment before establishing strategic clarity around purpose, culture and long-term impact. According to Paul, this is where the real challenge lies.
Rather than focusing solely on future fears around AGI orsuperintelligence, this episode argues that today’s AI crisis is more immediate and human: a leadership, capability and adaptability crisis. AI is not simply another technology tool; it is transformational and foundational, requiring organisations to rethink leadership, culture, communication and workforcedevelopment.
Paul also examines how AI acts as a mirror for organisational health, exposing weak leadership, fragmented data, siloedcultures and poor communication. Without clear vision, employee trust and meaningful upskilling pathways, businesses risk creating fear, disengagement and resistance internally.
Ultimately, this episode challenges leaders to rethink theirrelationship with AI: not as a transactional solution, but as a force that will fundamentally reshape the nature of work, organisations and leadership itself. Those who fail to adapt may face their own existential crisis far sooner than the technology does.
To discuss the topics outlined in this episode on moredetail, email: hello (at) principlesandleadership.com
To learn more about The New P&L and the work we do, goto: www.principlesandleadership.com
