AI is no longer a future concept. It’s already reshaping how work gets done.

Since ChatGPT’s public debut in late 2022, artificial intelligence has moved from buzzword to baseline. Today, teams use AI daily to write, summarize, research, and analyze. And looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, AI will touch every part of the business, from revenue and costs to operations, people, and long-term investment decisions.

Vistage recently underscored this reality in an article by Joe Galvin, Chief Research Officer at Vistage Worldwide, urging CEOs to ensure AI is part of their 2026 strategic planning process. The message was clear: while the future shape of AI is still evolving, leaders who fail to plan for it now risk falling behind in an AI-powered economy.¹We agree. And we’d add one important point.
AI strategy without execution doesn’t change the business.

The Gap Between AI Strategy and Day-to-Day Work
Many CEOs understand AI’s potential at a high level. They see how it could improve productivity, automate routine tasks, or create new competitive advantages. But translating that vision into real impact is where most organizations get stuck.Why?Because AI doesn’t live in strategy decks. It lives in workflows.If your work is scattered across email, spreadsheets, disconnected systems, and tribal knowledge, AI has nothing solid to operate on. It becomes a side experiment instead of a force multiplier.

This is where most strategic AI conversations break down. Leaders talk about tools, but not about the operational foundation required to make those tools effective.

Where AI Actually Changes the P&L
Vistage outlines six areas where AI should be addressed in a strategic plan, including market analysis, competitive advantage, financial planning, operational execution, skills and tools, and governance.

¹Operational execution is where AI either delivers measurable value or quietly fails.AI creates leverage when it can:

• See the flow of work across teams

• Understand the current state of jobs, projects, or orders

• Reduce manual handoffs and re-entry

• Surface risks, delays, and next steps in real time

Without connected workflows, AI is forced to work around the business instead of inside it.

AI Needs Structure Before It Needs Intelligence
One of the biggest misconceptions about AI is that it replaces process. In reality, AI amplifies whatever process already exists.If workflows are unclear, AI accelerates confusion.
 If ownership is fuzzy, AI produces inconsistent outputs.
 If data is scattered, AI creates more noise, not clarity.

Organizations seeing real gains from AI are not chasing every new model. They are investing in structure first, clear workflows, connected systems, and reliable sources of truth.Once that foundation exists, AI can do what it does best:

• Extract information from emails and documents

• Keep records updated automatically

• Summarize status across work in progress

• Flag delays, gaps, and stalled work

• Help teams focus on decisions instead of administration

Where Vsimple Fits Into the AI Conversation
At Vsimple, we see AI as a capability that belongs inside the flow of work, not on the sidelines.

Our platform is designed to connect teams, systems, and information into clear, trackable workflows. That structure gives AI the context it needs to be useful, not just impressive.When AI operates inside a connected workflow:

• Updates stay tied to the work

• Insights are grounded in real data

• Automation supports people instead of replacing them

• Leaders gain visibility without micromanagement

This aligns with the more optimistic vision of AI highlighted by Vistage, one where technology improves productivity and employee experience rather than undermining it.

Planning for 2026 Starts With How Work Runs Today
AI will impact every line of the P&L. But the companies that benefit most won’t be the ones with the flashiest tools. They’ll be the ones that prepared their operations to absorb change.

As you think about your 2026 strategic plan, the question isn’t just how to use AI. It’s whether your work is structured well enough for AI to help.

If the answer is no, the opportunity isn’t to wait. It’s to start building the operational clarity that makes AI a competitive advantage instead of a distraction.AI is here. The leaders who pair it with disciplined execution will be the ones who turn potential into performance.

Source
 ¹ Joe Galvin, CEOs: Make Sure Your 2026 Strategic Plan Includes AI, Vistage Worldwide, Inc.