New research from MIT Sloan and BCG reveals a decisive pattern in how executives perceive artificial intelligence: overwhelmingly as amplification, not replacement.
Today, 26% of executives view AI as an assistant. Within three years, that number jumps to 61%—a remarkable trajectory that reshapes how we should think about AI’s organizational role.
The research categorizes AI relationships across a spectrum: assistant, coach, mentor, colleague, rival, and boss. The supportive roles—assistant, coach, mentor, colleague—all show dramatic expected growth in the three-year projection.
Meanwhile, “rival” and “boss” remain minority views even in forward-looking scenarios. Executives aren’t preparing for AI competition or AI authority—they’re preparing for AI collaboration.
Why This Pattern Matters
This finding challenges both utopian and dystopian AI narratives. The replacement thesis—that AI will systematically substitute for executive judgment—doesn’t match how actual decision-makers experience the technology.
Instead, the data suggests a second-order effect: AI amplifies existing executive capabilities rather than supplanting them. The “assistant” framing implies AI handles execution while humans retain judgment, context, and strategic direction.
Organizational Implications
For business strategy, this perception pattern has concrete implications:
Role design: Organizations should structure AI integration as capability enhancement, not headcount reduction
Investment focus: Tools that augment decision-making will see faster adoption than autonomous systems
Skill development: Executive training should emphasize AI collaboration rather than AI management
The shift from 26% to 61% “assistant” view also signals declining AI anxiety among leadership. As executives gain hands-on experience, abstract fears give way to practical integration.
The research suggests the future isn’t humans versus AI—it’s humans with AI, operating at amplified capacity across strategic and operational domains.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
