Latest posts
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AI Risk in Due Diligence: Data, Ethics, and the Black Box Problem
Iincreasingly, we start a Technical Due Diligence to be told that the target company’s edge lies in its “AI-driven technology”. This is almost always said with confidence and with a slide or two showing impressive-looking performance metrics. But the moment we begin to examine that claim in detail, the tone changes. The conversation becomes more
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Fractional CPTOs and AI strategy: Guiding innovation without overreach
AI is now a permanent topic in the boardroom, but not every board has the right expertise to turn that conversation into a coherent plan. Your company may already be experimenting with AI models or exploring automation, but without a clear strategy and governance framework these activities can quickly pull you away from your intended
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Model Drift, Shadow AI, and Spaghetti ML: Why AI Governance Is Already a Problem
The promise of artificial intelligence in business is compelling. Increased efficiency, sharper insights, and products that adapt intelligently to customer needs are now part of the narrative in every boardroom. Yet beneath the enthusiasm lies a more uncomfortable reality. The technology is evolving faster than the structures designed to manage it, and companies are already
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The AI Mirage: Spotting Overstated Claims During Tech Due Diligence
Artificial intelligence is today’s talisman. It appears in every pitch deck, investor briefing and product brochure, promising a transformation that will outpace competitors and create outsized returns. Yet in the course of Technical Due Diligence, claims of being “AI-powered” often dissolve under scrutiny, revealing little more than experimentation or, in some cases, nothing beyond the
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When Every Product Claims to Be ‘AI-Powered’: Cutting Through the Noise as a Technology Leader
Artificial intelligence has become the most overused phrase in the technology marketplace. From customer service chatbots to predictive dashboards, there is scarcely a product that has not been labelled as ‘AI-powered’. For a Chief Product and Technology Officer, this trend presents both risk and opportunity. The risk lies in being swept along by the marketing
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From Buzzword to Business Impact: Helping Boards Understand AI Through a Strategic Lens
We can all agree that artificial intelligence has moved from the pages of research papers to the agendas of boardrooms. What was once an abstract concept has now become a practical tool that shapes how organisations operate, compete and grow. Yet for many directors, AI remains clouded in jargon and hype. The challenge for boards
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You Can’t Govern What You Don’t Understand: AI and the Need for Modern Tech Governance
In boardrooms across the world there is a growing realisation that artificial intelligence is no longer a peripheral technology. It is embedded in strategy, operations and even customer interactions. The speed at which AI capabilities are evolving is breathtaking, yet many governance structures remain rooted in a pre-AI world. This gap between technological reality and
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What Does AI Readiness Look Like in Technical Due Diligence?
In the current climate of digital transformation, few technologies command as much attention as Artificial Intelligence. Whether it is enhancing operational efficiency, enabling new forms of automation, or underpinning entire product offerings, AI is no longer optional for innovative companies. As such, investors and acquirers are increasingly scrutinising a company’s AI maturity during technical due
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The CPTO’s Role in Shaping Responsible AI Adoption
The surge in artificial intelligence has triggered a wave of excitement, anxiety and introspection across industries. Boardrooms are awash with talk of automation, productivity gains and existential risks, while product and technology teams wrestle with a shifting foundation beneath their roadmaps. Amid this transformation, the role of the Chief Product and Technology Officer has never
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The Platform Dilemma: When small services businesses outgrow their own systems
After more than three decades advising and leading technology and product teams across sectors from Telecoms to Healthcare, I’ve seen a familiar story unfold time and again—particularly in smaller services-based businesses. It starts with a team building their own bespoke system, perhaps as a natural extension of their service model or out of necessity. What