Global leaders flag gap between AI adoption and readiness

By AI, Created 4:26 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Senior executives gathered in Stockholm to discuss how governments, businesses and public institutions can scale AI responsibly as adoption races ahead of governance, workforce and infrastructure readiness. The session highlighted cybersecurity, AI literacy, sustainability and resilience as pressure points for the next decade.

Why it matters: - AI is moving into core business operations, public services and decision-making faster than many institutions can adapt. - The gap between AI rollout and readiness now touches governance, cybersecurity, workforce planning, energy use and national competitiveness. - Leaders at the Stockholm session said organizations need trusted frameworks to avoid scaling AI without the controls, skills and resilience needed to manage risk.

What happened: - Senior business, technology and strategic leaders met in Stockholm this week for a private executive session on responsible AI scaling. - SamurAI by NTT Security and EARTH 51 hosted the invite-only event at 7A Posthuset in central Stockholm. - The discussion centered on AI governance, cybersecurity, workforce transformation, resilience, sustainability, infrastructure readiness and the economic impact of AI at enterprise and national level.

The details: - Fredrik Olsson, CEO of SamurAI by NTT Security, said AI is becoming embedded in core business operations, decision-making and customer engagement. - Olsson said organizations need leadership frameworks that help them move forward with confidence, not hesitation. - Aletta Girardi, VP Channel Sales EMEA at SamurAI by NTT Security, said demand is rising for practical, trusted and scalable AI adoption. - Girardi said the Nordics are well positioned to lead these conversations because of their focus on innovation, trust and long-term thinking. - Akhil Handa, CEO of EARTH 51, said AI is becoming foundational infrastructure for economies, governments and society. - Handa said the next decade will separate organizations and nations that build trusted, resilient and AI-literate systems from those that do not. - Handa said AI is beginning to reshape energy systems, labor markets, education, healthcare, security and economic productivity at the same time. - Handa said the pace of technological acceleration is outpacing institutional readiness across much of the world. - EARTH 51 introduced its SAFER framework for Responsible AI, built around Sustainability, Accountability, Fairness, Explainability and Resilience. - The session also covered future systems thinking and the links between technology systems, human systems and natural systems. - The meeting included discussion of AI governance and executive accountability, cybersecurity and resilience in AI systems, AI literacy and workforce readiness, infrastructure and sustainability impacts, responsible AI deployment at enterprise scale, trust and transparency, organizational risk, and the role of governments and leadership teams in long-term AI adoption. - SamurAI by NTT Security describes itself as providing advanced cybersecurity and managed detection and response services. - EARTH 51 describes itself as a global think tank focused on Responsible AI, sustainability and future workforce transformation. - The source includes the company links the SamurAI website and EARTH 51.

Between the lines: - The event reflects a broader shift from AI experimentation to operational deployment, where governance and resilience are becoming board-level issues. - Stockholm and the Nordics were presented as a test bed for responsible AI leadership, not just a location for the discussion. - The emphasis on sustainability and infrastructure suggests AI adoption is now being judged on more than speed and capability.

What’s next: - SamurAI by NTT Security said the Stockholm event is part of its broader Cyber for Good initiative. - That initiative is aimed at helping organizations build leadership-focused approaches to AI adoption, cyber resilience and trusted digital transformation at scale. - The discussion points suggest more executive-level attention is likely to shift toward AI governance, workforce readiness and infrastructure constraints as adoption continues to accelerate.