Generative AI (GenAI) isn’t just for data scientists or digital labs — it’s a personal productivity accelerator already embedded in the daily tools of most leaders. Whether through Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT Enterprise, or Google Workspace, executives can now automate routine thinking tasks, improve clarity, and free time for strategic work. Yet most leaders use only a fraction of GenAI’s value. Here are five pragmatic ways to make GenAI a natural part of your day.
1. Use GenAI as Your Daily Briefing Partner
Start each day with context. Ask GenAI to summarize overnight market shifts, competitor updates, and key industry trends. Microsoft Copilot in Outlook can extract insights from your inbox, while ChatGPT Enterprise or Perplexity.ai can compile external news with reliable sourcing.
Example: “Summarize the top three fintech trends from the past 24 hours and how they could affect Canadian banking.”
Why it matters: This builds situational awareness without adding hours of reading — a key advantage for leaders managing multiple portfolios.
2. Draft, Edit, and Clarify Faster
Leverage GenAI for first drafts, rewrites, or tone adjustments on executive communications, board decks, or client messages. Tools like Copilot for Word and ChatGPT’s “custom instructions” feature can mirror your voice and style.
Example: “Rewrite this paragraph to sound more strategic and concise for an AVP audience.”
Why it matters: Studies by Harvard Business Review show that executives using GenAI for written work save 20–30% of time per document — time that can be reinvested into higher-value decision-making.
3. Use GenAI as a Thought Partner in Meetings
Before or after meetings, use GenAI to structure agendas, generate probing questions, or summarize action items. In Teams or Zoom, Copilot can create instant summaries and highlight next steps.
Example: “List the five key risks discussed in this meeting and draft a follow-up email to stakeholders.”
Why it matters: This helps leaders shift from reactive to reflective — focusing on insights and outcomes rather than note-taking.
4. Enhance Decision-Making with Scenario Thinking
GenAI can model outcomes, compare trade-offs, or stress-test assumptions.
Example: “Generate two scenarios for expanding our cloud services under stricter OSFI data residency requirements.”
Tools like ChatGPT Enterprise or Claude can simulate multiple perspectives securely within enterprise environments.
Why it matters: Leaders move from intuition-based decisions to data-informed foresight.
5. Automate Repetitive Research and Reporting
GenAI can summarize regulatory updates, consolidate KPIs, or build report outlines in seconds. Financial institutions are already using AI copilots to draft internal compliance summaries.
Example: “Summarize this 40-page compliance document into five bullet points and identify required actions for Q1.”
Why it matters: This keeps teams aligned with minimal manual effort and strengthens governance discipline.
Lead by Example
GenAI’s real power lies not in automation, but in amplification — amplifying focus, insight, and leadership. The most successful AI-driven organizations are those where executives personally model intelligent use of these tools. Start small. Integrate one of these five practices into your daily rhythm this week.
As Deloitte notes, “AI adoption begins with executive behaviour.” The leaders who experiment first are the ones shaping how AI transforms their organizations next.
This article was written with the assistance of my brain, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and other wondorous toys.
Adam Outside The Box 