Companies having a hard time adjusting to AI

Alex Lieberman nailed it: most businesses want AI, but almost none are ready for it. They chase shiny tools before fixing the basics—people, processes, and culture. His insight from building Tenex AI is a massive wake-up call for anyone pitching an “AI revolution.”

Why it works

• Hits FOMO and fear head-on.
• Uses authority (“building McKinsey for AI”) to back up the lesson.
• Lists real barriers: ownership, tech knowledge, tech stack, and culture.
• Turns a vague buzzword (“AI transformation”) into a tangible business audit.

Real examples

• IBM learned the hard way: rebranded as an “AI company,” but growth stalled until process-first initiatives kicked in.
• Wendy’s used AI to optimize drive-thru times—small, internal use, massive ROI.
• Airbnb applied AI to pricing after cleaning their data pipelines first.
• Coca-Cola focused on employee training before deploying generative tools.