Executives Challenge AI Frenzy, Advocate Strategic Patience
In what sources indicate is becoming a counter-movement to the artificial intelligence gold rush, prominent business leaders are urging companies to resist fear-driven technology adoption and maintain focus on human-centered strategies. The warnings emerged during Fortune’s Most Powerful Women 2025 summit held in Washington, D.C., where executives from diverse industries shared concerns about the pressure to rapidly implement AI solutions.
The Dangers of FOMO-Driven Decision Making
According to reports from the summit, Pam Catlett, chief brand officer at jewelry company Brilliant Earth, highlighted the psychological pressures facing business leaders. “For me, there’s the pervasive sense of FOMO that’s happening — fear of missing out,” Catlett stated. “And the first word, fear, is not a good state to be in when you’re thinking about how to better serve your customer, your team, your organization.”
The report states that this anxiety around artificial intelligence implementation reflects broader industry trends, including developments in the venture capital sector and telecommunications infrastructure where technological pressures are similarly intense.
Letting Giants Pave the Way
Vanna Krantz, chief financial officer at Grindr, advocated for what analysts suggest is a more pragmatic approach to technological adoption. “There are big behemoths out there that are going to pave the way, I hope, for, let’s call it smaller-cap companies, and that’s how I think about it,” Krantz told Fortune’s Diane Brady. “So we’ll keep our foot in the game. We don’t want to get too far behind, but we could let others lead.”
This strategic patience reportedly allows companies to learn from early adopters’ successes and failures while maintaining focus on core business objectives and productivity fundamentals.
Balanced Implementation Through Education
Astha Malik, chief business and marketing officer at customer engagement platform Braze, emphasized education over mandates in her company’s approach. “What we’re not doing is giving a mandate across the organization to use AI in everything,” Malik stated. “I have seen a lot of companies go out and talk about: every employee should be doing these 10 things every single day. I think that draws criticism more than anything.”
Instead, Malik’s company reportedly runs “AI academies” that leadership completes alongside team members. This approach to managing fear of missing out appears aligned with emerging trends in how different demographics interact with technology, including Generation Z’s adoption of AI chatbots for various needs.
Broader Industry Implications
The cautious stance taken by these executives comes amid significant global technological shifts, including India’s UPI payment system expansion and evolving customer engagement strategies exemplified by companies like Lego and Google.
Sources indicate that the consensus among summit participants suggests a growing recognition that sustainable technology adoption requires balancing innovation with human-centered values, rather than reacting to competitive pressures. The executives reportedly agreed that companies must resist exhausting themselves by chasing every technological trend while maintaining enough engagement to avoid being left behind.
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