Boards vs C‑Suite on AI

A Pearl Meyer survey released April 22, 2026 found 90% of board members say the C‑suite and their direct reports should own enterprise AI strategy — but executives disagree. (finance.yahoo.com) Pearl Meyer polled 108 executives and board members in February and March 2026 and reported the results on April 22, 2026. (finance.yahoo.com) The survey breakdown shows fragmentation inside the executive ranks: 32% of respondents said the C‑suite as a group is accountable for AI, 22% pointed to leaders one level below the C‑suite, 27% to individual business leaders, and 17% to functional heads such as HR, finance or legal. (finance.yahoo.com) Directors and executives also disagree on team cohesion — Pearl Meyer found 100% of board directors said their senior team is cohesive versus 66% of C‑suite respondents, and only 54% of C‑suite leaders said second‑line leaders can clearly explain top priorities. (finance.yahoo.com) Brad Jayne, a principal at Pearl Meyer and co‑author of the report, told Fortune that the split reflects long‑standing teamwork problems in senior leadership rather than a new issue created by AI. (finance.yahoo.com) The gap matters because AI initiatives require coordinated decisions on capital allocation, workforce planning and risk management; Pearl Meyer’s research shows 40% of respondents reported making significant AI investments and many have yet to discuss short‑term financial impacts. (pearlmeyer.com) Boards and advisers are already urging clearer oversight: governance groups and consultancies including The Conference Board and EY have recommended that boards treat AI as a strategic investment and strengthen accountability for talent, risk and compliance. (conference-board.org) Until executive teams agree who owns AI, Pearl Meyer’s authors warn that companies risk misaligned capital decisions, unclear workforce signals and unmanaged operational risk — a dispute that boards and C‑suite leaders will likely need to settle this year. (finance.yahoo.com)