Understand Data - That’s the First Real AI Problem

We talk a lot about AI readiness at AI Strategy Consulting.

But there’s something even more foundational that’s still missing in boardrooms:

Data literacy.

It sounds like a basic skill. Something everyone in leadership already has.

But they don’t. And it’s showing.

The illusion of understanding

You’d be surprised how many senior leaders still see data as a numbers problem or a tech team’s job.
They delegate dashboards, avoid questions that start with “how was this calculated?”, and sign off on strategies built on weak data stories.

In the AI age, that’s not just risky—it’s reckless.

Because AI doesn’t replace your judgement. It depends on it.
And if you don’t understand what data’s being used, how it’s structured, or whether it's even reliable, your decisions become guesswork dressed up as insight.

So why is data literacy so elusive?

• It’s not  spreadsheets or SQL.
• It’s about asking the right questions:
• Where did this data come from?
• What assumptions are baked in?
• What does this pattern not tell me?
• Is this data representative—or just convenient?

These are commercial questions. Strategy questions. Risk questions.
Yet most exec teams still treat them like optional extras.

You don’t need to become a data scientist
But you do need to build the muscle.

That’s why our AI Masterclass starts with the fundamentals:

• Not AI tools. Not buzzwords. But data literacy.
• The ability to read, challenge, and interpret the information your decisions are built on.

We don’t throw graphs at people. We build confidence through real examples:

• How to spot misleading metrics
• How to ask sharper questions in meetings
• How to avoid being swayed by flashy, AI-generated nonsense

The truth is, most AI mistakes aren’t technical.
They’re human. And they start with poor data judgement at the top.