AI at the Board Level: Best Practices for CIOs

Earlier this week, Mayfield hosted our CXO Insight Call: “AI at the Board Level – Best Practices.” The discussion focused on how CIOs and technology leaders can effectively present AI to their boards — bridging a wide literacy gap, addressing risk-first instincts, and reframing AI as a driver of business strategy and competitive advantage.

The session brought together five accomplished board members with deep experience as operators and advisors, alongside Gamiel Gran, Chief Commercial Officer at Mayfield, who moderated the conversation.

Strategic Takeaways

1. Anchor AI in business outcomes, not technology.
2. Partner with the CFO – who can share insights on Board metrics.
3. Use the two-bucket framework for incremental + transformational framing.
4. Easy Pickings – CIOs owned projects like ‘password reset’ are ideal for early wins.
5. Acknowledge and bridge the board literacy gap.
6. Tie AI initiatives to KPIs like growth, resilience, and ROI.
7. Champion experimentation over perfection.
8. Integrate AI into existing governance structures.
9. Involve CFOs, CPOs, and business leaders early.
10. Act as ultimate collaborator across silos.
11. Lead with stories and case studies.
12. Balance credibility with curiosity and humility.

Strategic Business Framing for AI

• Boards want business outcomes, not architectures. Tie AI to KPIs like revenue growth, margins, risk-adjusted ROI, and resilience.
• Use a two-bucket approach: Incremental Enhancements (efficiency, predictive maintenance, automation) and Transformational Shifts (industry disruption, new models).
• Examples: Manufacturing plants using vibration detection to predict failures; consumer firms leveraging behavioral analysis to anticipate customer needs.

Governance and Culture

• AI requires robust governance but also a cultural shift from perfection to experimentation.
• Risk of inaction now outweighs risk of failure; boards must accept iterative learning.
• Governance should extend existing structures, involving CFOs, CPOs, HR, IT, and business leaders to ensure accountability and avoid shadow AI.

The CIO’s Role as Ultimate Collaborator

• CIOs are uniquely positioned as system-wide collaborators, bridging technical expertise with business strategy.
• Start with low-risk IT sandboxes (password resets, ticketing) for early wins, then scale broader initiatives.
• Adopt a mixed portfolio of board-ready demos and experimental projects to show both proven ROI and long-term innovation.

Case Studies and Early Wins

• John Deere’s 15-year AI journey: evolved from manufacturer to data-driven service provider.
• Manufacturing AI prevented downtime with vibration detection, earning board enthusiasm.
• Marketing & content creation with AI delivered measurable gains in efficiency, customer engagement, and conversions.
• Higher education AI initiatives showed dual internal and community impact.

---

Featured Panelists

Anna Catalano

Anna is a globally recognized business leader and experienced corporate director. She spent two decades in the oil and gas industry, including roles as Senior Vice President of BP and President of Amoco Orient Oil Company. Today she serves on the boards of Frontdoor, HF Sinclair, and Ecovyst, among others. She is a governance thought leader, active in the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), and is known for her expertise in leadership development, digital transformation, and cultural change.

Tami Erwin

Tami is the former Executive Vice President and CEO of Verizon Business, where she led a $30B global business serving enterprise and government clients. She has extensive experience in digital infrastructure, global operations, and organizational transformation. She currently sits on the boards of John Deere, F5 Networks, and Xerox, where she brings insight into scaling, managing risk, and building high-performance organizations.

Wendy M. Pfeiffer

Wendy is a renowned technology leader with deep expertise in cloud operations and digital infrastructure. She served as CIO of Nutanix and earlier as CIO of GoPro, where she guided transformations in IT, product operations, and hybrid cloud. She has also held senior roles at Yahoo! and Cisco. Wendy currently serves on the boards of Qualys, Opnova, HFC, and SADA Systems. She is known for championing modern IT, AI-enabled workflows, and hybrid workforce innovation.

Karenann Terrell

Karenann has held CIO roles at some of the world’s largest and most complex companies, including Walmart, Baxter International, GlaxoSmithKline, and Mercedes-Benz. She has led enterprise-wide transformations across supply chain, retail operations, and digital product innovation. She currently sits on the boards of UiPath, Eaton, and Fractal Analytics, advising on AI adoption, automation, and governance at scale. She is widely respected for her ability to bridge technical change with enterprise leadership.

Diane Tryneski

Diane is an accomplished media and technology executive with a career spanning senior leadership roles at Discovery Communications and Disney, and as Chief Digital Officer/Chief Technology Officer at HBO. She has overseen major platform launches and digital transformations in the entertainment industry, with deep expertise in enterprise risk, governance, and scaling consumer technology. Diane currently serves on the boards of Southern New Hampshire University and the International Neuropalliative Care Society.