The CEO’s Job In The Age Of AI And Economic Warfare, Ram Charan - Author And Advisor

AI and digital transformation are no longer operating in a vacuum. They are unfolding inside a world shaped by geopolitical pressure, economic coercion, and state-driven competition. CEOs are being forced to make technology, supply chain, and capital allocation decisions that carry consequences far beyond quarterly results. In this environment, leadership failure is rarely about a lack of information. It is about misreading the system in which the business actually operates.

On this episode of the Reboot Chronicles Podcast, we have Ram Charan, a longtime advisor to CEOs and boards and the author of the newly released China’s 90% Model. Ram explains how China’s economic strategy is reshaping global markets, why most companies misunderstand the nature of that competition, and what it means for AI adoption, productivity, and leadership fit in the decade ahead. From defining who truly drives outcomes inside organizations to why CEOs must personally own transformation, he connects boardroom decisions to the broader forces determining which companies and countries will lead next.