From Hype to Impact: How to Get AI Right

Guest: Maria Angel Ferrero, CEO, Makia Labs Most organizations are investing heavily in AI, but very few are seeing meaningful results   In this episode, Maria Angel Ferrero challenges one of the most dangerous assumptions leaders are making today: that adopting AI tools is enough to drive transformation. It isn’t.   As Maria makes clear, tools don’t change organizations; systems driven by people do. We explore why companies are stuck in AI experimentation without measurable impact, and what’s actually missing: a clear problem-first strategy, governance and accountability, and the human-centered design required to drive adoption.   You’ll learn: Why most AI failures are human, not technical How to close the gap between AI investment and business outcomes What “human-in-the-loop” really means for leadership and risk Why starting with the problem, not the tool,is critical to success,and How to move from scattered experimentation to scalable innovation.   If you’re responsible for AI strategy, transformation, or performance outcomes, this conversation will challenge how you think…and how you lead.   Other episodes you'll enjoy: - AI, Your Story, & the Professional Identity Crisis with Christopher Washington - Leading When We’ve Stopped Thinking: AI’s Red Flag with Srini Koushik - AI at Work: The Human Side of Tech Transformation with Neil Sahota   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. RESOURCES:   Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.   Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.    -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross ([email protected]) Booking Producer: Jenna Reik ([email protected]) Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.   CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Maria Angel Ferrero is an innovation and responsible AI strategist, entrepreneur, and academic. She is the founder and CEO of Makia Labs, where she works with organizations to design AI-driven innovation ecosystems that integrate technology, people, and purpose. She is also a PhD, researcher, and professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Montpellier, with a background in design thinking and user-centered innovation.   Ferrero’s work focuses on helping leaders move beyond AI experimentation to measurable impact, emphasizing governance, human-centered adoption, and ethical AI integration.   In addition to her advisory work, she creates educational content on AI and innovation across platforms, including LinkedIn and social media, where she shares practical guidance on applying AI in professional and academic contexts.