How AI Should Reshape Corporate Decision Making and Strategy

Thoughts from Berggren Future Forum 2024

It’s 2024, and if your business still treats AI as just another “cool tech tool,” it’s time for a wake-up call. The true value of AI lies not just in what it can do, but in how it reshapes the very way we make decisions and craft strategy. This was one of the very topics we debated, and brainstormed on, earlier this fall in Helsinki Berggren Future Forum summit (thanks Berggren for the invite, especially CEO Mika Toikka and long-time friend Sakari Värilä) in a panel discussion in front of various industry leaders, alongside great fellow speakers Maija Hovila, Inka Mero, and Arttu Ahava!

Step One: Treat AI as a Strategic Ally, Not Just a Tool

AI needs to sit at the decision-making table, right alongside your key leaders. We need an AI vision woven into the very fabric of our organizations. Imagine an AI model that predicts customer behavior, pinpoints risk areas, and even suggests market-entry timing for new products. AI isn’t here to replace leaders, but rather to enable data-driven decisions that are faster, more accurate, and more adaptable to change. Remember, as we discussed at the Berggren Future Forum 2024, the Internet revolution didn’t reach its potential until CEOs embraced it. Companies that quickly integrated the Internet into their business models—hello, Amazon!—gained a lasting competitive edge. AI is following a similar path. Organizations that view AI as central to strategy, and not just as another tool, will lead the charge. In the Berggren’s conference, we spoke about various examples showcasing how to make this happen in reality!

Step Two: Balance Intuition with AI Insights

At Behavix, we know the best decisions come from a balance of human intuition and AI-powered insights. While AI can process massive data volumes, humans bring creativity, intuition, and strategic context. Successful companies in the AI era will be those where teams are comfortable both analyzing AI suggestions and questioning them when needed. AI can tell you the “what” and the “when,” but understanding the “why” and the “how” is still where human intuition shines.

Step Three: Build Cross-Functional AI Teams

For AI to work effectively, you need alignment between departments—operations, data, IT, HR, even legal. Establishing a unified AI vision that incorporates diverse perspectives allows for responsible, efficient, and insightful AI implementation. With well-aligned teams, AI initiatives stay focused, scalable, and high-impact.

Step Four: Embrace AI-Driven Strategy Evolution

The future isn’t about keeping AI in one box. As we shift from reactive to proactive AI, companies will be able to simulate outcomes, model risks, and explore new markets with unprecedented accuracy. Real-time strategic pivots will become possible, allowing organizations to respond to change faster than ever before. As we saw at Berggren Future Forum, the companies leading in AI aren’t those that simply adopt it but those that make AI a core part of their strategy. Let’s not wait for the market to catch up—let’s lead the way in redefining strategy through AI. This is what we are doing also with Behavix a day in, a day out!