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The AI Strategy Question

5 min read

Eng Manager

You report to David. Your job: have a concrete plan he can take upstairs. Pilot results, adoption metrics, and a clear ask.

Cto

You might be the one answering. Same playbook: clear narrative, evidence, and a roadmap. Own it before they ask.

Tech Lead

You're the technical backbone. When David needs 'proof,' you're the one with the pilot data. Feed him the bullets.

The AI Strategy Question

TL;DR

  • "What's our AI strategy?" is coming. Have an answer. It doesn't need to be perfect — it needs to be coherent.
  • A good answer: problem (efficiency, quality, velocity) + approach (pilot, scale, measure) + ask (budget, headcount, time). Three slides max.
  • David's board wants to know the company isn't sleeping. Give them a story they can retell.

David's board asked. His CTO looked at him. He didn't have a crisp answer. That's a problem. Here's how to fix it.

The Three-Part Answer

1. The Problem "We're in a market where AI is changing how engineering work gets done. Our competitors are adopting. Our engineers want the tools. We need to decide how we respond."

2. The Approach "We're running pilots on [X, Y]. We'll measure [velocity, quality, adoption]. We'll scale what works. We're not betting the farm — we're learning systematically."

3. The Ask "We need [budget for tools / time for rollout / permission to experiment]. Here's the timeline. Here's how we'll know if it worked."

That's it. Clear. Defensible. Not scary.

What Not to Say

  • "We're exploring AI." (Too vague. Exploring for how long?)
  • "AI will replace engineers." (Wrong message. You want efficiency, not replacement.)
  • "We have no strategy." (Honest but fatal. Have something.)

Own the Narrative

You don't need to have all the answers. You need to own the question. "Here's what we're doing. Here's what we're learning. Here's what we need next." That's leadership. That's the answer.

Quick Check

The board asks 'What's our AI strategy?' David doesn't have a crisp answer. What's a GOOD answer structure?

Board asks. CTO looks at you. You fumble. 'We're looking into it.' 'We have some pilots.' No narrative. No ask. You look unprepared.

Click "Own the narrative" to see the difference →

Do This Next

  1. Draft a one-pager "Our AI approach." Problem, approach, ask. Three paragraphs. Use it the next time someone asks.
  2. Know your evidence. If you've run a pilot, have the numbers. If not, "we're starting one this quarter" is a valid answer. Just have a plan.