As AI transforms business operations across industries, leadership teams face increasing pressure to make informed decisions about technology investments. According to McKinsey’s January 2025 report, Superagency in the workplace: Empowering people to unlock AI’s full potential, the “long-term AI opportunity” represents “$4.4 trillion in added productivity growth potential from corporate use cases.”
Yet, despite these compelling advantages and massive increases in AI investments from companies like yours, that same McKinsey report highlights that “only 1 percent of leaders call their companies ‘mature’ on the deployment spectrum, meaning that AI is fully integrated into workflows and drives substantial business outcomes.”
This implementation gap shows the crucial need for business leaders to address stakeholder concerns thoroughly and strategically when proposing AI initiatives. And a primary avenue through which to do so is by aligning on metrics early on.
When presenting the business impact of AI, stakeholders will likely have a range of questions based on their priorities and concerns. Preparing thoughtful responses to these inquiries will demonstrate your expertise and build trust in your proposed approach.
Here are some key questions to anticipate:
Revenue and Growth Projections
- What specific assumptions are driving the revenue growth projections?
- Are these growth metrics sustainable, or are they tied to short-term trends?
- How does this initiative impact key revenue drivers like upsell, cross-sell, and average order value?
Customer Impact and Engagement
- How will this solution improve the customer journey and address pain points?
- What measures will ensure that the personalization efforts resonate with customers across diverse segments?
- How will you address privacy concerns related to AI-driven personalization?
Competitive Positioning
- How does this AI initiative position us against competitors adopting similar technologies?
- What unique capabilities or differentiators does this solution bring to the market?
Scalability and Adaptability
- How scalable is this solution as customer needs and expectations evolve?
- Can the AI system adapt to support new products, markets, or customer demographics?
Risk and Contingency Planning
- What risks could arise if the AI fails to meet customer expectations or delivers subpar results?
- How will you manage potential reputational risks tied to AI missteps?
Customer Metrics and Validation
- What customer feedback mechanisms will be in place to measure the impact of AI on loyalty and satisfaction?
- How will improvements in metrics like CSAT, NPS, and retention directly link to financial outcomes?
Operational Feasibility
- How will AI integrate with our existing systems and processes?
- What level of disruption can we expect during implementation?
- How will this impact current employee roles, and what retraining or re-skilling will be required?
Cost and ROI Clarity
- How accurate are the projected cost savings, and what assumptions were used in the calculations?
- What is the anticipated timeframe to achieve ROI?
- Are there hidden costs or unexpected expenses we should anticipate?
Time to Value
- How quickly will customers notice and benefit from these enhancements?
- What is the expected timeline to achieve meaningful improvements in retention and loyalty?
Final Thoughts
Anticipating these stakeholder questions isn’t just about having ready answers—it’s about demonstrating comprehensive strategic thinking in your AI implementation approach. Gartner research demonstrates that “organizations where the AI team is involved in defining success metrics are 50% more likely to use AI strategically than organizations where the team is not involved.”
As we touch on in another recent article, the landscape of AI implementation is rapidly evolving. Organizations that proactively address stakeholder concerns while maintaining a clear vision of their AI strategy will be positioned for competitive advantage in the coming years.
The journey to successful AI implementation begins with honest assessment. Is your organization prepared to navigate these complex stakeholder conversations?