Leadership or Followership? The AI Revolution and the Role of Innovation in Business

Leadership or Followership? The AI Revolution and the Role of Innovation in Business

In a world where technology is advancing rapidly, leaders must decide: Will they lead or follow? Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries and competition. The latest investments by tech giants show the need for businesses to embrace innovation. But innovation is not just for executives or research teams. It can come from anyone in an organisation.

The AI Investment Race: A Lesson in Leadership

Amazon is the latest company to reaffirm its commitment to AI. CEO Andy Jassy announced that Amazon’s £26.3 billion capital expenditure last quarter is a good estimate for 2025. Most of that funding will go towards AI infrastructure for Amazon Web Services (AWS). Jassy believes AI will transform applications, making it as fundamental as computing, storage, and databases.

Amazon is not alone. Microsoft plans to invest £80 billion in AI data centres in 2025. Meta will spend up to £65 billion, mainly on AI research and development. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, will invest £75 billion, exceeding expectations. OpenAI has also outlined a £500 billion infrastructure project to push AI forward.

Challenging the Norm: Innovation from Unexpected Places

Despite these massive investments, recent events show that leadership in AI is not just about spending large sums. A Chinese startup, DeepSeek, recently claimed to have developed a competitive AI model for just £5.6 million. While some industry leaders question this, it highlights an important fact: innovation is not limited to tech giants. Smaller, agile organisations can challenge the status quo and think differently.

This is a reminder for business leaders in all sectors. The next big breakthrough could come from a mid-level manager spotting an opportunity. It could be a frontline employee identifying inefficiencies. It could be a team rethinking old ways of working. Companies that create an environment where employees at all levels can contribute ideas will be the ones that lead.

What Does This Mean for Your Business?

The AI revolution is not just for Silicon Valley. It is a strategic priority for businesses everywhere. The real question is not whether to invest in AI, but how to use it effectively. More than financial commitment, it requires strong leadership, openness to ideas, and a readiness to embrace change.

Leaders should consider:

  • Do we encourage employees to contribute innovative ideas?
  • Are we agile enough to adapt to new opportunities?
  • Are we actively exploring AI applications in our industry?
  • Are we willing to challenge old ways of doing business?

Final Thoughts: Lead, Don’t Follow

History shows that leaders in innovation are not always those with the biggest budgets. They are the ones with the boldest vision. While Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google are investing heavily, real game-changers may come from unexpected places. Leadership is about setting trends, not following them.

At Inemmo, we work with middle to senior leaders worldwide, helping them navigate change. Whether in technology, finance, healthcare, or another field, the key question remains: Are you leading the way, or waiting for others? The future belongs to those willing to innovate. Will that be you?

 

Sources

Why leaders should join the mindfulness mission

Why leaders should join the mindfulness mission

Mindfulness is sometimes dismissed in business circles as New Age fluff – yet it has a powerful knack for refocusing employees and helping them boost their performance

It’s no exaggeration to say that workplaces often feel like the working definition of chaos. Even when it isn’t necessarily the case that chaos is underway, the busiest phases routinely make us think that it is. The abundance of work that we need to get through during those times is often expressed in our physical actions. Gestures and tics become showier; struts down office corridors or around workstations grow more urgent and emphatic; typing gets aggressively louder – and voices climb in pitch. Those are the symptoms of organisations in full flow, and many workers find them unsettling. Could mindfulness be the cure?

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INEMMO’s ‘Levelling Up’ Programme wins prestigious Association for Business Psychology Award

INEMMO’s ‘Levelling Up’ Programme wins prestigious Association for Business Psychology Award

INEMMO wins ABP Award for ‘Excellence in Using Business Psychology for Social Impact’

 

View interviews with coachees here: ‘The Levelling-Up Interviews’

The ABP Award

Inemmo received an award at the prestigious Association for Business Psychology annual awards ceremony in the ‘Excellence in Using Business Psychology for Social Impact’ category. Additionally, Inemmo was a finalist in three categories: Excellence in Development Interventions, Excellence in Embracing Diversity, and Excellence in Using Business Psychology for Social Impact.

 

The Levelling-Up Interviews

Atiya Sheikh and Joy Maitland recently met with individuals they have coached through their ‘Levelling-Up’ coaching and mentoring program. They discussed how these coachees successfully tackled social inequalities and biases in their careers, focusing on five key aspects.

  1. Parental Influence
  2. Cultural Identity
  3. Influence of Teachers
  4. Workplace Environment
  5. Coaching and Mentoring

 

About the inemmo ‘Levelling-Up’ Programme

Inemmo’s ‘Levelling-Up’ coaching programme is a resounding success, offering crucial support to young individuals facing various forms of inequality and discrimination.

Starting with weekly sessions, the programme gradually adapts to the mentee’s growing confidence, tailoring interventions based on ongoing assessments. Remarkably, this valuable program is entirely cost-free for these young individuals.

The impact is profound. It nurtures their resilience, boosts self-understanding, refines emotional intelligence, encourages self-direction, responsibility, and drives career advancement. Since its launch in 2015, the programme has witnessed significant growth.

Joy Maitland and Atiya Sheikh, the visionary directors of Inemmo, are wholeheartedly committed to connecting with individuals at their current stage and helping them achieve their desired objectives.