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The Brazilian Imperative: AI in Brazilian Councils
From literacy to execution: why Brazilian councils need to act in the next 90 days The curiosity phase is over. Between 2023 and 2025, the Brazilian market went through an intense cycle of “AI literacy” — workshops, lectures, exploratory pilots. This cycle fulfilled its role, but now it takes its toll. Boards, investors and clients want to see a return. The question is no longer “what can AI do?” and it became “where is the amount she promised?”
Today's challenge is not to start using Artificial Intelligence, but rather to transform pilot projects into measurable value at the executive level. The reality is harsh: while 82% of companies report some positive ROI, 95% of pilots die before reaching production, creating the dreaded "Pilot Gap." The cause of this failure is not a lack of budget, but a failure of method: Lack of strategic alignment with business priorities. Fragmented or ungoverned data. Excessive focus on tools rather than solving real problems. The difference between the average and the leadership is stark: companies that scale AI with governance and method achieve $10.30 return for every $1 invested, almost triple the average of $3.70. For the Council, the success metric is clear. What defines who climbs: Focus on real business problems. Based on organized data (Data Readiness). AI KPIs tied to executive compensation and auditable governance from the outset. Before approving the next investment in technology, the Board's test must be one: the question that matters is not "are we using AI?". It's: "Are we getting a measurable return from AI — and do we have a plan to scale?" If the answer is not clear, your investment in innovation is at risk.
If AI is still an “IT project” in your company, you are already behind. And the data shows exactly how big this delay is. Leading AI companies generate $10.30 in return for every $1 invested. The market average? Only $3.70. The difference is not in technology. It's in the strategy. Only 5 to 11% of AI projects reach production. This means that 95% of pilots die before generating real value. The problem is not technical — it is leadership. The CRAFT Framework that we present in the article solves this with a 5-dimensional approach: Capabilities, Readiness, Alignment, Feasibility and Timeline. It's not theory — it's a roadmap for CEOs who need to make decisions now. Some data that should change your perspective: - 27% of the tasks professionals perform with AI are completely new — things that simply didn't exist before. - Teams with AI produce 40 to 50% more output without increasing headcount. - The Innovation Basket concept allows allocating investments in AI without compromising the core business. But there is one point that few CEOs consider: Duty of Care. Not adopting AI when it can protect employees, customers and shareholders already constitutes a fiduciary risk. AI is no longer an optional competitive advantage. It is a strategic obligation.
I consolidated more than 10 hours of content from the biggest global governance and AI forums — from CEOs at Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and BlackRock to Brazilian board debates — into an article for those who need to make decisions, not write code. Some data that draw attention: 📊 82% of companies report positive ROI with AI ⚠️ But 95% of AI projects fail before they scale 🔒 80-100% of AI tasks require active human supervision ⏱️ Cycles of 4-8 months tablets to 2 weeks 💰 Prompt caching reduces AI operational costs by up to 90% The article covers 4 dimensions that every advisor and president should master: 1. Strategy — From “Conversational AI” to “Agentic Delegation” 2. Governance — Oversight frameworks, dual-use risks, data sovereignty 3. ROI — Real cases: TELUS, Zapier, Rakuten, Fountain, CRED 4. Brazil — How our councils are (or should be) dealing with the topic If you lead people and also need to lead the adoption of AI in your organization, this is the starting point.