The breakneck speed at which artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing is outpacing governance around it.
New research from NTT Data reveals that businesses are racing to adopt AI – but a responsibility gap threatens to undermine progress.
More than 80% of executives acknowledge that leadership, governance, and workforce readiness are failing to keep pace with AI advancements – putting investment, security, and public trust at risk.
The report, The AI Responsibility Gap: Why Leadership is the Missing Link, draws insight from more than 2 300 C-suite leaders and decision-makers across 34 countries, uncovering the urgent need for a leadership-driven mandate to align AI innovation with ethical responsibility.
“The enthusiasm for AI is undeniable, but our findings show that innovation without responsibility is a risk multiplier,” says Abhijit Dubey, CEO of NTT Data. “Organisations need leadership-driven AI governance strategies to close this gap – before progress stalls and trust erodes.”
The AI Responsibility Gap is Widening
- Innovation versus Responsibility is a Boardroom Battle – The C-suite is divided: One-third of executives believe responsibility matters more than innovation, while another third prioritizes innovation over safety; the remaining third rates them equally.
- Regulatory Uncertainty Stifles Growth – More than 80% of leaders say unclear government regulations hinder AI investment and implementation, leading to delayed adoption.
- Security and Ethics Lag Behind AI Ambitions – 89% of C-suite leaders worry about AI security risks, yet only 24% of CISOs believe their organizations have a strong framework to balance AI risk and value creation.
- The Workforce Isn’t Ready – 67% of executives say their employees lack the skills to work effectively with AI, while 72% admit they do not have an AI policy in place to guide responsible use.
- Sustainability Concerns Emerge – 75% of leaders say AI ambitions conflict with corporate sustainability goals, forcing organizations to rethink energy-intensive AI solutions.
The Leadership Mandate: Closing the AI Responsibility Gap
Without decisive action, organizations risk a future where AI advancements outstrip the governance needed to ensure ethical, secure, and effective AI adoption. Leaders must address:
· Responsible by Design Principles – AI, including GenAI, must be built responsibly from the ground up and end-to-end, integrating security, compliance, and transparency into development from day one.
· A Governance Imperative – Leaders must go beyond legal requirements and meet AI ethical and social standards using a systematic approach.
· Workforce Readiness – Organizations must upskill employees to work alongside AI and ensure teams understand AI’s risks and opportunities.
· Global Collaboration on AI Policy – Businesses, regulators, and industry leaders must come together to create clearer, actionable AI governance frameworks and establish global AI standards.
“AI’s trajectory is clear – its impact will only grow. But without decisive leadership, we risk a future where innovation outpaces responsibility, creating security gaps, ethical blind spots, and missed opportunities,” says Dubey.
“The business community must act now. By embedding responsibility into AI’s foundation – through design, governance, workforce readiness, and ethical frameworks – we unlock AI’s full potential while ensuring it serves businesses, employees, and society at large equally.”