AI Is Strategy, Not a Product: The Mindset Executives Need Now | Michael Pompey, Arrow Electronics

95% of AI pilots fail. Welcome to the Implementors podcast, where we reveal what it takes to join the 5% that succeed. Learn how to make implementation smarter, faster, and more human. Subscribe to lead the change.Join host Ted Wolf, Co-Founder & CEO of Guidewise, for a candid conversation with Michael Pompey, Chief AI Strategist and AI Evangelist at Arrow Electronics. In this episode, Michael challenges the prevailing executive mindset around AI, arguing that the technology is not a product to buy but a strategy to operate by — and that the companies winning today are the ones with the courage to begin before they feel ready. He reframes governance not as a brake on innovation but as the very mechanism that allows organizations to move at speed, much like the brakes on a Formula One car enable it to take corners safely at 180 miles per hour. The conversation explores the critical differences between efficiency tools like Microsoft Copilot and transformation platforms like IBM Watson X, the surprising McKinsey finding that frontline staff are using AI three times more than their CEOs realize, and the deeply human work of building trust across leadership, middle management, and the frontline. Michael also shares his philosophy that "technology is never the hero — people are," and explains why the most important work in any AI implementation happens ten inches from the keyboard. This episode is essential listening for CIOs, CEOs, and operating leaders who want to cut through the hype, navigate governance and culture with intention, and build AI-enabled organizations that people trust, adopt, and grow with.ABOUT MICHAEL POMPEY: Michael Pompey is the Chief AI Strategist and AI Evangelist at Arrow Electronics, where he helps organizations demystify artificial intelligence and translate it into actionable strategies that drive measurable business value. With more than 20 years as a Chief Information Officer across mission-driven organizations, Michael brings a practitioner's lens to enterprise AI adoption — bridging the gap between vision and execution through executive workshops, tailored use cases, and real-world demonstrations. His career began in juvenile justice, where he built data-driven applications to improve outcomes for young people, and later included guiding national consulting initiatives on youth workforce systems and large-scale employment programs for the City of Philadelphia. Recognized as an expert in enterprise IT strategy, vendor management, and business intelligence automation, Michael has been featured in CIO Magazine, Philadelphia Business Journal, and the Business Intelligence Journal. He was named an IBM Champion for 2026, serves on multiple CIO advisory boards, and is a sought-after keynote speaker at IBM Think, IBM TechXchange, The Channel Company, and numerous executive forums.ABOUT GUIDEWISE: Guidewise is building the operating infrastructure for human–agent collaboration at enterprise scale. Our platform, Skytop, serves as a unified control plane for AgentOps and PeopleOps, giving leaders real-time visibility into how AI agents and human teams actually perform together. Skytop enables enterprise-grade evaluation, behavioral and performance analytics, policy enforcement, and continuous governance across agents, workflows, and decision systems. Paired with our Changeworks methodology, Guidewise helps organizations design, build, deploy, and sustain AI-enabled operating models that people trust and adopt. We equip leaders with the systems, skills, and execution discipline required to move from experimentation to durable, high-performance collaboration between humans and intelligent agents. Learn more: https://www.guidewise.ai/contact/.SOCIAL:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@implementorspodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/implementorspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/implementorspodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/implementorspodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/implementorspod/