What should a CEO know about AI? 7 things before your next decision

How much does a CEO actually need to know about AI?

Enough to ask good questions, check what you are told, and decide. You do not need to understand the code, just as you do not need to be an accountant to read a balance sheet with care.

There is one difference. With AI, you will probably use it yourself, every week. That is why a little understanding goes a long way. When an answer looks wrong, you will know where to look.

1. How does AI produce an answer, in plain words?

In simple terms, an AI language tool takes your request and uses patterns it learned from a very large amount of text to produce a reply that sounds sensible.

Two things follow. First, the clearer and richer your request, the better the reply. Second, the tool is built to sound sensible, which is not the same as being correct.

Some AI tools can also search the web or read your files. That is a different ability, and it is worth asking which one you are using.

2. Where does AI help a CEO personally?

Start with the work you already do every day. The most useful starting points tend to be ordinary ones:

• Reading: turning a long report or email thread into the points you need.
• Preparing: building the questions to ask before a meeting.
• Writing: drafting and tightening messages and talking points in your own voice.
• Thinking: laying out options and counter-arguments before you decide.
• Language: drafting in English or Arabic, then checking the wording yourself.

3. Why can AI be wrong, and how do you check it?

An AI tool can give a clear, confident answer that contains an invented fact, a wrong number or a source that does not exist. This is normal behaviour for the technology, not a rare accident.

So the habit to build is simple: AI drafts, you verify. Check names, figures, dates and anything that will be quoted or acted on. The more it matters, the more you check.

4. What must stay a human decision?

AI can prepare a decision. It cannot be accountable for one. These stay with you and your team:

• People decisions, such as hiring, pay, promotion and performance.
• Final numbers and commitments.
• Anything legal or regulatory, where you should rely on qualified professionals.
• Messages where tone and relationships matter most.

5. What information should stay out of AI tools?

Start with your organisation's rules. If there are none, that is a gap to close. As a general habit, keep personal data, passwords and confidential or unreleased information out of AI tools unless your organisation has approved their use.

Ask your IT, legal and security colleagues what is allowed, and write it down in a few simple lines your people can follow. This is general guidance and not legal advice.

6. What should you ask your team about AI?

You do not need to run the project. You need to ask the right questions:

• What problem does this solve, and how will we know it worked?
• What happens when the AI is wrong, and who catches it?
• What information goes into it, and who approved that?
• Who is accountable for the result?
• What will people stop doing, and what will they do instead?

7. How are other working people using AI today?

A Gallup survey of U.S. employees in Q2 2026 found that 52% use AI in their role, and 30% use it a few times a week or more. Among those users, the most common uses were writing and editing (51%) and search or research (49%).

That is a U.S. sample, not a UAE one, so treat it as a rough picture of everyday use rather than a local benchmark. It does show where most people start: with words and information, not with technical projects.

Sources: Gallup, Organizational AI Adoption Jumps Six Points (20 July 2026)

What should a CEO do this week?

Keep it small. Three steps are enough to begin.

• Pick one task you already do, such as reading a long document, and try an AI tool on it. Check the result line by line.
• Ask your leadership team to share one place they use AI and one place they decided not to.
• Ask for the organisation's current rules on what may go into AI tools.

Where can a CEO get guidance without becoming technical?

I am Mounaim Lamouni, an AI coach and trainer based in Dubai. Before AI, I spent 15+ years in HR, talent and organizational development at ALDAR, DHL and TCS. I have delivered 400+ talks and 1,000+ training hours, and I teach in English and Arabic.

I coach CEOs, founders and senior leaders one to one, online by video call. We work on your real documents and decisions. You do not need a technical background, and I do not promise a specific result.