"Managers must be agents of change": how AI is changing leadership in organizations
Ido Ron of KPMG Israel emphasizes that in the AI era, managers must become "agents of change." Successful transformation requires not just technology adoption, but a deep understanding of the human factor and strategic prioritization.
"The change leaders in the AI world are those who will lead large organizations in the near future and drive extensive business moves," said Ido Ron, partner and head of AI and digital transformation at KPMG Israel, at the second meeting of the XimusNxt change leaders project in collaboration with KPMG.
As part of the project, a workshop is held quarterly with experts and senior executives from KPMG and forum members, focusing on practical tools for leading organizational change in an era of accelerated technological developments. The XimusNxt forum brings together managers, entrepreneurs, investors, and senior executives in the fields of product, marketing, finance, and technology, offering a platform for exchanging knowledge and creating collaborations. The current meeting dealt with a question that is becoming relevant to almost every organization: not whether to adopt AI, but who will lead the change and how to do it right.
Examples of transformation
Ron started with an example from the world of culture: the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem, which, as part of its digital transformation, created an exhibit where the figure of Maimonides comes to life and allows visitors to ask him questions in several languages about his writings. "I estimate that within a year, agents will begin to be created in all organizations. Ultimately, many roles will become those of decision-making and strategy," he noted.
Another example comes from the Sheba Medical Center, where they identified the emergency room as one of the main challenges. Project K is a primary triage complex based on artificial intelligence, which was born against the background of manpower shortages. Patients who are not in life-threatening danger undergo questioning and tests using the "Dr. Bina" AI system, which builds an initial treatment plan in seconds and assists the doctor.
The human factor and asymmetry
According to Ron, the AI wave is different from previous technological waves in that it provides a cross-functional capability that can be integrated into almost every function. He suggests looking at the transformation through a distribution of 10% technology, 20% data, and 70% human factor. AI is gradually becoming part of the organization's operating system.
However, uneven implementation can create new problems. "There is a significant asymmetry that harms organizations. If the marketing department starts writing proposals with AI 10 times faster, but the operations department cannot keep up, a bottleneck problem arises," Ron explained.
The role of a change agent
Lea Hamairi, Chief AI Officer at Meuhedet Health Services, shared her experience in implementing innovation in the public sector. "The harder area is the human factor, implementation, and understanding how to create trust," she says. Hamairi led the AI FOR ME project, which included creating guides and podcasts for public sector employees, as well as developing AI-based organizational chats in agencies such as the Ministry of Welfare.
Ron concludes: "Managers must be agents of change. Our role as managers is changing significantly: we produce less information and define more problems, challenge recommendations, build teams, and exercise judgment. The more we are the ones who manage to create change that moves the needle of the organization, the more we will be able to develop."
