Investigating How Leaders Decide on AI Innovations: Opportunities for HCI

Around 90% of CEOs see AI as the “most critical technology for ensuring future profitability and competitiveness.” At the same time, up to 95% of AI projects fail. Currently, little is known about the leaders who approve and guide AI initiatives. We call them AI Deciders. This study investigates how AI Deciders reason about AI benefits and risks, and how their knowledge about AI influences their decisions on what and where to innovate. We interviewed AI Deciders across diverse organizations. We found no ideation. AI Deciders just consider one concept at a time. Design and HCI played no role in deciding what to build. Many AI Deciders overestimate AI’s benefits while underestimating risks. Based on these findings, we identified opportunities for design and HCI to support impactful and responsible AI innovation. This should reduce AI project failure.