ICT industry analyst says executive enthusiasm for AI is high, but knowledge gaps remain
ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, February 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — As he prepares for an upcoming keynote address, Industry Analyst Jeff Kagan is urging business leaders to move beyond excitement about artificial intelligence and focus on strategic understanding and execution, both for them and for their customers.
In his keynote, Kagan will outline the critical areas every executive must understand to compete and lead in the emerging AI era. In this release, he shares a few key insights from that presentation.
“Today with AI, we are at a similar inflection point to where we were in the 1990s when the Internet was new and dial-up was the norm,” says Kagan. “Over the next three decades, the Internet transformed every industry. The same thing happened when the iPhone and Android entered the smartphone market in 2007 and reshaped the competitive landscape within just a few years.”
According to Kagan, AI represents an even faster and more disruptive shift. Every company needs an AI-era strategic plan.
“This time, AI is moving at a significantly faster pace than the Internet or smartphones did,” he says. “There is no time to waste. Companies must act now if they want to lead.”
Kagan warns that history will repeat itself: some companies will lead, others will follow, and some will miss the transformation entirely.
“Where will your company stack up in the new AI era?” Kagan asks. “Today is the time to solidify your AI strategy.”
HIGH INTEREST, UNEVEN UNDERSTANDING
Kagan notes that while interest in AI among communications industry leadership is extremely high, executive understanding lags behind.
“In recent months, I’ve been increasingly contacted by senior executives across wireless, telecom, cable TV, Internet, and other communications sectors,” Kagan explains. “They’re reaching out for guidance on what AI really means for their business models, how quickly change is coming, and how to position themselves competitively.”
Although not an AI engineer, Kagan brings more than 40 years of experience analyzing marketplace disruption, competitive strategy, and emerging technologies.
Executives turn to him for insight into how transformative innovations reshape industries and redefine competitive advantage.
TWO CRITICAL AREAS EXECUTIVES MUST MASTER
According to Kagan, leaders must focus on two essential priorities:
• Understanding how AI will transform their own organizations and competitive landscape
• Understanding AI well enough to guide customers and business partners through the transition
“Most executives do not yet understand these areas deeply enough to fully capitalize on AI,” says Kagan. “That’s why strategic guidance is essential.”
Only a few years ago, when generative AI tools like ChatGPT first emerged, many companies urged employees to take a cautious approach. Today, the opposite is true. Organizations across industries are rapidly integrating AI into operations, customer engagement, product development, and strategic planning.
Leaders no longer want to follow. Today, they want to shape the future of their industries.
A TWO-WAY LEARNING PROCESS
Kagan emphasizes that advisory relationships are collaborative.
“While I help executives become more comfortable navigating AI-driven change, I learn from them as well,” he says. “These conversations sharpen my perspective and allow me to deliver even greater value to clients.”
ABOUT JEFF KAGAN
Jeff Kagan is an Atlanta-based Industry Analyst, Strategic Advisor, Consultant, Influencer, and Keynote Speaker. For more than four decades, he has covered wireless, telecom, 5G, AI, Internet, pay TV, and emerging technology trends, delivering analysis and projections on companies, technologies, regulations, and market shifts.
Kagan advises CEOs, CMOs, CAIOs, and senior leadership teams navigating disruptive change in both B2B and B2C markets.
Former AT&T Executive Vice President of Public Relations Dick Martin wrote in Tough Calls: AT&T and the Hard Lessons Learned from the Telecom Wars:
“Jeff Kagan has been described as the most widely quoted analyst in the telecommunications industry.”
Kagan has written thousands of columns and articles translating complex technology trends into clear, practical insight for executives, investors, customers, and employees.
MEDIA & BUSINESS INQUIRIES
Organizations seeking guidance on becoming leaders in AI, or companies interested in including Kagan in their Industry Analyst Relations program, may contact:
Jeff Kagan
Email: jeff@jeffkagan.com
Website: www.jeffkagan.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-kagan/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/jeffkagan
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Jeff Kagan
Industry Analyst, columnist, Keynote Speaker
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