Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, and social housing is no exception. As a forward-thinking CEO, Sally understands the importance of educating the board about AI to pave the way for innovation in her housing association. This blog will guide you through how she communicated effectively with her board members, managed their expectations, and inspired confidence in AI initiatives.
The Current State of AI Adoption in Boardrooms
The escalating hype around artificial intelligence has executives from all sectors feeling the pressure to take action. But for Sally, it wasn’t just about joining the AI bandwagon—it was about ensuring her board was properly informed and equipped to make decisions that aligned with the association’s mission.
AI’s Place in the Boardroom Today
Sally spent time researching the current state of AI in boardrooms and concluded:
Recent reports show that AI is becoming a top priority for many board members. 46% of board members stated that AI is now their main focus, and 76% of companies are using AI in some form. Despite this, many board members struggle to fully understand AI, especially those not yet using it, with only 3% rating their understanding as experts.
The Boardroom in 2024 report highlighted the need for boards to align data governance with strategic goals, seeing it as a competitive advantage rather than just compliance. Sally used this insight to guide her board on leveraging AI effectively.
Sally also noted the importance of balancing AI’s benefits with its risks, including data privacy and misinformation. She emphasised robust governance practices, as recommended by Egon Zehnder’s AI Guide for Board Members, to help mitigate these risks.
By framing AI adoption as an opportunity to enhance tenant services and advance the association’s mission, Sally saw this as an opportunity to help her board see AI as a positive tool rather than a risk.
How to Lead Board Conversations on AI
For Sally, the challenge was twofold—she needed to educate her board members about AI while making the topic engaging and relevant to their unique context.
Focus on the Company Context
Sally knew that her board members didn’t need a basic “AI 101” presentation; they wanted to understand how AI could solve specific challenges faced by the association. She decided to start with a broad overview of her association’s AI journey—its current efforts, the challenges, and the opportunities ahead. This approach provided a foundation for the board to see where AI could add value.
- Highlighting Operational Challenges: Sally began by outlining the operational headwinds the organisation faced, such as increasing maintenance backlogs and the need for better tenant communication. This established a clear link between AI solutions and the issues her board was already familiar with.
- Connecting AI to Strategic Goals: She then focused on how Gen AI could directly impact strategic priorities, like improving tenant satisfaction and optimising resource allocation.
Effective AI Education for Board Members
Educating board members isn’t just about sharing information; it’s about giving them the confidence to engage in AI-related discussions with stakeholders. Sally turned to the iwp Board AI Readiness Assessment to evaluate the board’s baseline understanding and tailor her presentation to fill knowledge gaps effectively.
Building Board Members’ Confidence in AI
Sally’s goal was for every board member to leave the meeting with a basic understanding of AI—what it can do, the risks involved, and how it aligns with the housing association’s mission.
- Practical Understanding: Sarah used relatable analogies and avoided technical jargon, helping board members grasp AI concepts easily. For instance, she compared predictive maintenance AI to a weather forecast—anticipating issues before they happened.
- Encouraging Productive Discussions: Sarah encouraged board members to ask questions, ensuring they felt comfortable enough to hold AI conversations with highly skilled business associates. She used AI Learning for Non-Techies resources to ensure everyone felt confident enough to participate.
Ensuring Command of the Basics
By focusing on core concepts like AI benefits, risks, and practical applications, Sally ensured that her board felt knowledgeable enough to contribute meaningfully to future discussions. This was crucial for getting their buy-in on AI projects.
Highlighting Both Benefits and Risks
Board members are tasked with overseeing not only the strategic direction but also the compliance and ethical use of technology within the organisation.
Balancing AI Benefits and Risks
Sally knew it was essential to paint a balanced picture of AI—highlighting both the potential benefits and the risks that needed management.
- Benefits to Highlight: AI can automate routine tasks, optimise maintenance schedules, and personalise tenant interactions. Sarah used Case Studies of AI Adoption from the iwp resource hub to illustrate how AI could free up time for staff to focus on tenant engagement and strategic tasks.
- Addressing AI Risks: Sarah also covered potential pitfalls, such as biased data leading to unfair outcomes or privacy concerns with tenant information. She explained how the association would implement guardrails—like data governance policies and an AI ethics committee—to mitigate these risks.
Addressing Pre-Existing Expectations
Managing Hype and Misconceptions
AI is a hot topic, often discussed in the media, and even non-technical board members may have preconceived ideas. Sally was mindful of these pre-existing expectations.
- The Importance of Realistic Expectations: Some board members were overly optimistic about AI’s potential, while others were sceptical. Sally addressed both sides by explaining what AI could realistically achieve and the limitations it faced. She used examples of AI successes but also included lessons learned from challenges, which gave a well-rounded perspective.
- Personal Anecdote: Sally shared a story from her early executive days when technology adoption was often oversimplified by board members. This helped her relate to board members who might not fully understand AI but were keen to see progress.
The Role of Mission-Driven AI Strategy
Sally kept the association’s mission at the heart of her AI strategy—ensuring AI adoption aligned with the values of social housing.
Integrating AI with Organisational Mission
The key was keeping communication open and connecting AI capabilities directly to the association’s core values.
- Mission Alignment: Sally emphasised that AI was not just about technology; it was about creating meaningful improvements for tenants. By maintaining this focus, she ensured board members saw AI as a tool to enhance their social mission, not just as an efficiency booster.
- Engaging with Individual Board Members: Sally made herself available to meet with board members individually to answer any questions that were not fully addressed during board meetings. This one-on-one approach helped solidify trust and ensured everyone was on the same page.
Conclusion: Educate, Align, and Inspire
For executives like Sally, briefing the board on AI goes beyond presenting facts—it’s about building a shared understanding, managing expectations, and inspiring confidence in AI’s potential. By educating her board on both the opportunities and risks of AI, Sally positioned her housing association to leverage AI effectively, paving the way for innovation.
To make AI work for your organisation, start by assessing your board’s knowledge using tools like the Board AI Readiness Assessment, tailoring your message to their needs, and always aligning AI initiatives with your mission. When the board is informed and engaged, they become valuable allies in driving AI-driven innovation.
Example AI Social Housing Board Presentation Outline
Here is our AI presentation outline that Sally used to initially brief her board on AI initiatives in her housing association:
- Introduction: The Role of AI in Social Housing
- Overview of AI and its relevance to the social housing sector
- Brief mention of the current trends and adoption rates
- Current State and AI Readiness
- Findings from the AI Readiness Assessment
- Summary of current capabilities and gaps identified
- Operational Challenges and AI Opportunities
- Highlight specific operational challenges (e.g., maintenance, tenant communication)
- Explain how AI can directly address these challenges using case studies
- AI Benefits and Strategic Impact
- How AI aligns with organisational goals (tenant satisfaction, operational efficiency)
- Benefits overview with real-world examples
- Balancing Benefits with Risks
- Ethical considerations and data governance policies
- How to mitigate potential biases and safeguard tenant information
- Practical Applications: Real-World Case Studies
- Present examples of successful AI use in similar organisations
- Include outcomes and lessons learned
- Building Board Confidence
- Use relatable analogies to explain key AI concepts
- Encourage board members to ask questions and engage in discussion
- Mission Alignment and Next Steps
- Reiterate how AI initiatives align with the association’s social mission
- Outline the next steps for AI integration and training
- Q&A and Discussion
- Open the floor for board member questions
- Address individual concerns and provide clarification where needed
Educate, Align, and Inspire; Visit iwp’s Demystifying AI for Social Housing Leaders to explore practical, easy-to-understand resources tailored to help leaders master the AI landscape. Get the insights you need to drive innovation and improve service delivery!
