How do you lead when AI capabilities outpace organisational readiness? For data and AI leaders, that is today’s defining test. While emerging technologies offer an abundance of new opportunities, leaders are under increasing pressure to deliver impact while laying foundations in a continuously shifting landscape.
This report, produced by DataIQ in collaboration with Databricks, captures what it takes to lead under these conditions. It draws on exclusive insights from Guild 2025—DataIQ’s think tank for senior data and AI leaders—to map three distinct leadership modes: Orientation, Scaling, and North Star. Each reflects how leaders are navigating the unique pressures of building the AI-first organisation.
What you’ll learn
- How leadership is defined more by context that by maturity, specifically the mandate, momentum, and means to operate.
- The three leadership modes shaping the AI-first organisation: Orientation, Scaling, and North Star.
- How leaders build credibility under pressure when authority is weak, but expectations are high.
- The leadership traits key to navigating complexity in each phase of building the AI-first organisation.
