Over the past quarter, several CEOs have sent all‑hands emails demanding immediate adoption of large language model (LLM tools), threatening termination for non‑compliance. Some have hired external consultants, launched internal AI hackathons, or even created token leaderboards to spur usage. Employees who experiment voluntarily tend to master prompts faster.

Box CEO Aaron Levie explains why executives misjudge AI’s impact: they operate far from the “last‑mile” work that turns prototypes into production‑ready systems. A generated contract may look fine, but it still requires legal review; code that compiles needs security hardening and scalability testing. Iterating with real feedback shows true ROI.

The piece warns that layoffs blamed on AI are often excuses for prior over‑hiring, and that real value comes from employees who know how to augment their work with LLMs. When CEOs treat AI as a shortcut, they ignore essential concerns such as compliance, accessibility, and ongoing maintenance. A balanced AI strategy amplifies productivity.