When does class start/end?
Class hours may vary, please reach out to contact@ascendientlearning.com if you have any questions.
Creating an AI-Driven Workforce for Executives
Plan AI initiatives across strategy, risk, and enterprise readiness from the executive level. A leader’s-level view of AI covers generative and agentic AI, how they differ from traditional AI, how...
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$1,665USD
Duration
2 days
Course Code
GAI-1601
Available Formats
Classroom
Overview
Course Description
Plan AI initiatives across strategy, risk, and enterprise readiness from the executive level. A leader’s-level view of AI covers generative and agentic AI, how they differ from traditional AI, how foundation models work at executive depth, and the vocabulary that surfaces in board conversations. Strategic opportunities and business impact cover identifying high-value use cases, avoiding pilot purgatory through KPI selection grounded in measurable outcomes, choosing between human, automation, and AI for a given workflow, and the cultural conditions that let AI initiatives succeed. AI risk and responsibility cover ethical and security risks, how AI risks differ from traditional software risks, Responsible AI principles, the regulatory environment, and the implications of vendor data-handling policies. Enterprise readiness covers AI adoption roadmaps, organizational readiness across tech, talent, and culture, Centers of Excellence and grassroots adoption, and talent strategies for an AI-driven workforce. Hands-on activities produce a KPI selection grid, a risk-identification map, an AI investment-prioritization portfolio, and a personal adoption roadmap. The course is designed for executive leaders, senior directors, and C-suite or board members.
Skills Gained
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Develop an intuitive understanding of AI systems and how they create business value
- Differentiate high-value AI use cases from low-value applications in a portfolio
- Propose KPIs that avoid pilot purgatory for AI initiatives
- Assemble an AI adoption roadmap for the participant’s own organization
- Assess organizational readiness across tech, talent, and culture
- Apply Responsible AI principles to evaluate ethical and regulatory risks
Who Can Benefit
This course is designed for:
- Executive Leaders & Senior Directors
- C-Suite & Board Members
Prerequisites
Participants should enter this course with:
- Familiarity using Generative AI Chatbots (e.g., Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude)
Organizational Objectives
This course assists organizations to:
- Reduce pilot-purgatory risk through KPI selection grounded in measurable business outcomes
- Build executive-level fluency in AI strategy and risk in two days
- Establish a shared vocabulary and prioritization framework across the C-suite
- Lower governance risk through trained recognition of AI-specific compliance issues
Software
All attendees must have a modern web browser and an Internet connection.
Course Details
Course Details
Module 1 - A Leader’s Guide to AI
By the end of this module, you will be able to differentiate generative AI from traditional AI and from agentic AI, describe how foundation models work at the level a leader needs, and use the vocabulary (prompt engineering, RAG, agents) accurately in business conversations.
- Defining AI, generative AI, and agentic AI
- Differentiating generative AI from traditional AI
- Why AI matters: efficiency, innovation, growth
- How generative AI and agentic AI work, with foundation models
- Demo: inner workings of an LLM
- Key terminology: prompt engineering, RAG, agents, and more
- Hands-on Lab: Apply prompt engineering flash-learning to one realistic business prompt and compare results across two foundation models.
Module 2 - Strategic Opportunities & Business Impact
By the end of this module, you will be able to identify high-value AI use cases, define KPIs that avoid pilot purgatory, decide between human, automation, and AI for a given workflow, and recognize the cultural conditions that let AI initiatives succeed.
- Identifying high-value use cases and applications
- Demo: building an agent live
- Avoiding pilot purgatory and quantifying ROI through KPIs
- Selecting among humans, automation, and AI
- Demo: end-to-end agentic coding teams
- Fostering an AI-driven culture
- Hands-on Lab: Apply KPI-selection best practices to one candidate use case and defend the selection against pilot-purgatory failure modes.
Module 3 - The AI Risk & Responsibility Landscape
By the end of this module, you will be able to characterize the ethical and security risks unique to AI systems, distinguish them from traditional software risks, apply responsible AI principles, and reason about the regulatory environment that governs your organization’s deployment.
- Ethical and security risks of AI
- Demo: external prompt injection attack
- AI vs. traditional software risks
- Responsible AI principles and frameworks
- Regulatory environment and compliance
- Are vendors training on your data?
- Hands-on Lab: Author one Responsible AI principle for your organization grounded in a risk identified through workshop exercises.
Module 4 - Case Studies of Generative AI in Action
By the end of this module, you will be able to read AI investment cases through a “better, faster, cheaper, safer, possible” lens, distinguish table-stakes implementations from strategic bets, and draw lessons from cross-industry early adopters.
- AI value framework: better, faster, cheaper, safer, possible
- From table stakes to strategic bets
- Cross-industry use cases
- Industry-specific use cases
- Lessons from early adopters
- Demo: agentic analytics for business insights
- Hands-on Lab: Run an AI investment game over a portfolio of candidate cases and defend allocation through the value framework.
Module 5 - Enterprise AI Readiness
By the end of this module, you will be able to author an AI adoption roadmap, assess organizational readiness across tech, talent, and culture, structure a Center of Excellence and grassroots adoption, and design a talent strategy for an AI-driven workforce.
- An AI adoption roadmap
- Assessing organizational readiness across tech, talent, and culture
- Building an AI Center of Excellence and Communities of Practice
- The importance of grassroots adoption
- Activity: knighting your AI champions
- Talent strategies for an AI-driven workforce
- Hands-on Lab: Plan to lead by example — author a personal AI adoption roadmap and identify champions inside your team.
Module 6 - Recap and Next Steps
By the end of this module, you will be able to articulate the course’s key takeaways, identify your next-step actions, and locate resources for continued AI leadership development.
- Key takeaways and action items
- Resources for continued learning
- Question & response session
- Hands-on Lab: Capture three personal next-step commitments grounded in the course content and a follow-up resource for each.
Schedule
FAQ
Does the course schedule include a Lunchbreak?
Classes typically include a 1-hour lunch break around midday. However, the exact break times and duration can vary depending on the specific class. Your instructor will provide detailed information at the start of the course.
What languages are used to deliver training?
Most courses are conducted in English, unless otherwise specified. Some courses will have the word "FRENCH" marked in red beside the scheduled date(s) indicating the language of instruction.
What does GTR stand for?
GTR stands for Guaranteed to Run; if you see a course with this status, it means this event is confirmed to run. View our GTR page to see our full list of Guaranteed to Run courses.
How do I find an Ascendient Learning training location?
We have training locations across the United States and Canada - View a complete list of classroom training locations.
Which delivery formats are available?
At Ascendient Learning, we offer training that is Instructor-Led, Online, Virtual, and Self-Paced.
Does Ascendient Learning deliver group training?
Yes, we provide training for groups, individuals and private on sites. View our group training page for more information.
What does vendor-authorized training mean?
As a vendor-authorized training partner, we offer a curriculum that our partners have vetted. We use the same course materials and facilitate the same labs as our vendor-delivered training. These courses are considered the gold standard and, as such, are priced accordingly.
Is the training too basic, or will you go deep into technology?
It depends on your requirements, your role in your company, and your depth of knowledge. The good news about many of our learning paths, you can start from the fundamentals to highly specialized training.
How up-to-date are your courses and support materials?
We continuously work with our vendors to evaluate and refresh course material to reflect the latest training courses and best practices.
Are your instructors seasoned trainers who have deep knowledge of the training topic?
Ascendient Learning instructors have an average of 27 years of practical IT experience and have also served as consultants for an average of 15 years. To stay current, instructors spend at least 25 percent of their time learning new, emerging technologies and courses.
Do you provide hands-on training and exercises in an actual lab environment?
Lab access is dependent on the vendor and the type of training you sign up for. However, many of our top vendors will provide lab access to students to test and practice. The course description will specify lab access.
Will you customize the training for our company’s specific needs and goals?
We will work with you to identify training needs and areas of growth. We offer a variety of training methods, such as private group training, on-site of your choice, and virtually. We provide courses and certifications that are aligned with your business goals.
How do I get started with certification?
Getting started on a certification pathway depends on your goals and the vendor you choose to get certified in. Many vendors offer entry-level IT certification to advanced IT certification that can boost your career. To get access to certification vouchers and discounts, please contact info@ascendientlearning.com.
Will I get access to content after I complete a course?
You will get access to the PDF of course books and guides, but access to the recording and slides will depend on the vendor and type of training you receive.
How do I request a W9 for Ascendient Learning?
View our filing status and how to request a W9.
Reviews
Course was great and the instructor had an answer for anything that was asked during the course.
The training was good but needed the basic skills of maximo before getting deep in the configuration of it.
Very good material, the instructor was clear explaining the topics, and the labs were easy to follow it.
Topics, material and specially instructor (Graham Godfrey) was beyond my expectations.
This course gave me a clearer understanding of the AWS cloud architecture.
