"The number one success factor for AI transformation is the understanding and commitment of top management."

At the 'Dong-A Business Forum 2025' held at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 4th, Tom Davenport, a professor at Babson College in the United States, emphasized the role of leaders as a key requirement for successful AI transformation. He stated that beyond simply adopting technology, top management must accurately understand the impact and potential of AI and possess the execution capability to lead large-scale investments and innovation.

Professor Davenport pointed out, "Most organizations are pouring their budgets solely into technology adoption," adding, "They are as fast as rabbits in terms of technology but as slow as turtles in terms of culture." He stressed, "The transformation of business models in the AI era is clearly a task for top management," and emphasized the need to consider all areas, including operations, strategy, and business models.

In the afternoon keynote speech, George Friedman, Chairman of Geopolitical Futures, argued that South Korea should play the role of a 'mediator' between the U.S. and China amid the rapidly changing global situation. He advised, "In an era of self-reliance and realignment, South Korea's survival weapon is agility, not ideology," and suggested that only 'geopolitical agility,' which involves discarding outdated notions and adjusting strategies to match changing realities, will lead South Korea to prosperity.

The forum, hosted by Dong-A Ilbo and Channel A, was themed 'The New Coordinates of Leadership in a Changing World Order and AI Innovation.' Participants included David Edelman, a fellow at Harvard Business School, Martin Reeves, Director of the BCG Henderson Institute, Rebecca Karp, a professor at Harvard University, and Manfred Kirchgeorg, a professor at HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, who presented innovation strategies for the AI era.

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