Yes, pun intended.

(If you’re not sure what the pun is - “Co‑Pilot”… Microsoft… you get it… right? Never mind.)

If you’ve been anywhere near a conference, LinkedIn, or dinner conversations with a “future of business” type lately, you’ve probably heard something like “AI is coming…”. This is usually followed by one or more of the following:

…for our jobs / industry
…to save / help / destroy us
…to revolutionize EVERYTHING

And if you’ve heard anything from me lately, it’s probably been this: AI is coming for the boardroom.

I’ve got good news and bad news.

The good news? It’s not coming to take your seat at the table.
The bad news? If you’re waiting until the technology is “ready,” you’re already behind.

Directors are being asked, “What’s your board doing with AI?” It’s no longer a theoretical question. And it’s definitely not someone else’s job.

When I Started Thinking About This Article...

… I ummed and aahed.

On one hand, I could write about AI as I’m leading masterclasses on the topic at PRISM. On another, I could widen the lens and explore how governance itself is being reimagined because that’s the focus on my keynote. Then on a third hand — because AI likes to hallucinate extra limbs — I didn’t want to give away too many punchlines from all the ideas I’m bringing to Disneyland.

How could I give you something fresh, provocative, and worth your time? Something to chew on before you arrive at PRISM?

So I went with the bigger picture, but through the very real, very practical lens of what directors need to think about. Not next year. Now.

The Shift in Corporate Governance is Already Happening

As part of the research for my new book (The Artificially Intelligent Boardroom), I spent over a year talking with boards that are trying to use AI in their own work — not just for oversight.

Quietly and cautiously, directors are starting to experiment. And the early signs? They’re walking into meetings better prepared. They’re asking sharper questions. They’re seeing risks and opportunities earlier than before.

Private company boards (maybe even yours) are dipping their toe in too, experimenting with these revolutionary tools. Some are further along, but the shift is definitely underway. The smart ones don’t see this as a magic elixir. For them, it’s like having a co‑pilot in the seat next to you. Not running the show, rather making sure you’ve got the clearest possible view before you decide which way to steer.

For example:

I’m not saying you should be doing the same thing. It has to be fit for purpose. The reason I mention this is to highlight the common theme between these boardroom users.

They are naturally curious and experimental. Entrepreneurial types who seek better solutions. And they aren’t treating them like toys or pet projects. They’re becoming part of how some boards prepare, deliberate, and decide. And they’re not afraid to admit they don’t know everything about how it all works.

Many of them started out thinking, “I’m not a tech person,” and just… tried something.

And it’s fast changing the quality of the conversations in their room.

The More Human + Less Human Paradox

Let me switch gears for a second.

As much as I write and talk about AI, the single most important factor in any boardroom is still the humans who occupy it. In fact, my work is driven by the mantra of “the board of the future will be simultaneously more human and less human”.

LESS human because the parts of governance that rely on speed, pattern recognition, complex comparisons, compliance checks, and linear analysis will be handled better by machines.

MORE human because parts of our work that rely on trust, empathy, self-awareness, listening, and how we show up in the room will matter more than ever.

This won’t diminish our role. It will refine and enhance it.

In my opinion, the best boards have always been the ones that allow our humanity to shine. In the age of AI, our edge will be the distinctly human side of governance, supported by the precision and speed of that technology.

We’ll still be the ones who interpret, challenge, reflect, decide. We just won’t have to do it all by hand.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Let me ground this in reality.

Imagine your next board pack hits your inbox or board portal. Alongside the materials, you get an automated summary of key risks, inconsistencies, and stakeholder red flags. The red flags have already been ranked based on your agreed risk appetite policy and stakeholder mapping or prioritization in the types of scenarios and decisions that you will cover in the meeting.

Yes, you did a lot of work upfront as a board, but you are now seeing the fruits of this effort as you skim the summary, and it may have prompted three questions you wouldn’t have thought to ask.

Or picture this: In preparation for a major overhaul of governance policies, your board uses generative AI to scan and compare dozens of internal policies, flagging duplicates, outdated references, and compliance gaps before the governance committee has a chance to turn the first page.

What would usually take weeks of manual labor (or got skipped altogether) now takes minutes.

Now replace policies for past meeting minutes. For one of my clients, they’ve analyzed everything over the past 5 years to spot recurring issues that weren’t getting closure. This helped the Chair refocus the agenda on follow-through, rather than just rolling items forward like a greatest hits album no one wants to hear again.

Finally, and perhaps most controversially, I’ve used it in my director search process. My thoroughly trained GPT assists me in drafting unbiased role profiles, summarizing candidate applications, and even suggesting personalized interview questions for each candidate aligned. The first time I did this I did it after I’d done it the old way. Pretty much the same results, just in a fraction of the time.

None of these basic examples are moonshots. They are manageable, sensible, and available now. The difference isn’t the tech. It’s the mindset of the board using it.

And the tools aren’t making the decisions. They don’t own the accountability. But they do shift how we get to that decision.

Why Does This Matter for Private Company Boards?

Private boards don’t have the same spotlight as listed companies or non-profits. But we’re not flying under the radar, either.

We’re expected to be faster, smarter, leaner — especially when capital, reputation, and trust are on the line. That means we can’t afford to govern like it’s 1999.

The best boards I work with are not trying to look futuristic. They’re trying to become more fit for purpose. And that starts by asking a better question:

What could we do better or differently?

What I’m Asking in My Own Boardrooms

I’m privileged to be Board Chair for several private companies in Australia. When it comes to integrating this concept of more human and less human, I’ve found the best questions sharpen decision-making by shifting mindsets.

I’ve started asking a new set of questions that push both the human and the machine to show up better.

“More Human” questions:

“Less Human” questions:

These questions are not designed to stall innovation. Just like any material governance decision, you need a clear line of sight between inputs, process, and outcomes.

The Real Risk

The most common pushback I hear from boards?

"We don’t need this yet.”

Fair. Let me offer a reframe:

If you're not exploring how AI could support your board’s judgment, preparation, and oversight, you might be creating a new risk of becoming irrelevant, less effective, or even slower than the world around you.

It’s also a signal to your stakeholders, even unintentionally, that you aren’t willing to evolve. That’s a governance failure in waiting.

Start Small, Start Smart

As I talk at length in my book, you don’t need to launch a new initiative, and you don’t need to hire a Head of BoardTech. Start with one step.

List down all the things your board does, day to day, month to month, year to year. Decisions, recruitment, policy, analysis, risk identification, meetings, board paper and so on.

Warning. It’s quite a big list.

Now, next to each of these, mark which ones could be enhanced by being more human and more tech-savvy and tech-enabled.

Have the conversation. Open up the dialogue. Bring in the ideas. Ask for a demonstration. Trial a tool. Run a simulation. Even better, partner up with your executive team to pilot something low-risk and high-learn that will make things better for both teams.

When that’s done, spend proper time reflecting on what worked and what didn’t.

Every board I know that has taken this approach has ended up doing more, not less. They saw the upside.

The tools are ready. The only question is, are you?

The Intelligent Director

The board of tomorrow will have the same wisdom and experience as they’ve always had. The difference will be their increased capacity to work with complexity, challenge their own thinking, and collaborate with both humans and machines.

That board will be future-fit.

I’ve left a lot of ideas (both practical and futuristic) for my talks, so if you’re reading this before PRISM 2025, then come find me at the conference. Let’s chat about what your co‑pilot could look like.

ABOUTH THE AUTHOR

Paul Smith is The Board Futurist - an author, advisor, chair, entrepreneur, and speaker helping boards become fit for the future. Known for his thought-provoking and bold ideas, Paul challenges leaders to govern with courage, curiosity, and the tools of tomorrow.  Paul is the author of The Artificially Intelligent Boardroom and is the keynote speaker at the upcoming 2025 Private Directors Association PRISM Conference.