By Kyle Langworthy, Head of AI/ML/Data Practice
3 Takeaways
- Technical skills alone won’t cut it. The most effective AI leaders combine deep technical understanding with strong communication, adaptability, and ethical decision-making.
- Soft skills are the key to scalable, responsible AI. Without them, even the most advanced AI projects risk misalignment, mistrust, and stalled impact.
- Hiring for soft skills is a competitive advantage. Knowing how to assess these traits—especially across different company stages—will set your AI leadership strategy apart.
In the search for AI leadership, the focus often lands on technical expertise or specific archetypes. And it’s understandable—AI is an intensely technical field. But in my years of leading AI executive searches, I’ve learned that technical prowess alone is never enough. What truly separates a good AI leader from a great one is their ability to communicate vision, adapt to an ever-shifting landscape, and navigate ethical complexities that are integral to AI’s impact on society. These “soft” skills are essential to building AI strategies that scale and deliver long-term value.
Let’s explore how these skills play a key role in AI leadership success, based on my experience with high-level AI placements. For those looking to dive deeper into the evolving world of AI leadership, we’ve explored some of these trends in our State of AI Leadership report, which you can check out for a more detailed look at current shifts in AI leadership hiring.
Why soft skills matter in AI leadership
The AI space moves fast, and success requires more than just solving technical challenges. A leader in this field must be able to navigate complexities that are often organizational, cultural, or ethical in nature. Soft skills enable leaders to bridge the gap between AI technology and business objectives, particularly when scaling AI initiatives or guiding teams through change.
What’s become increasingly clear in my work with companies of all sizes is that without strong leadership in these areas, AI projects risk being sidelined or underperforming—no matter how sophisticated the technology. Communication, adaptability, and ethical decision-making are often what makes or breaks an AI initiative.
Key soft skills for AI leaders
Communication: Crafting the AI narrative
AI leaders must inspire, educate, and align teams and stakeholders across technical and non-technical areas. Whether it’s presenting to the board, securing investor buy-in, or leading cross-functional teams, communication isn’t about technical jargon—it’s about clarity, influence, and persuasion.
- Why it’s critical: Effective AI leaders simplify complex concepts, but they also ensure that these concepts align with the company’s larger strategic goals. Their communication connects the dots for stakeholders who may not fully grasp the intricacies of AI but need to understand its impact. Communication is not only about what’s said but how it drives action.
- In practice: A leader’s ability to distill technical strategies into understandable terms is paramount. For example, an AI leader pitching to investors needs to present the long-term vision, not just the algorithms. They must make investors believe in the business impact of AI. Similarly, within the company, they must ensure AI teams understand how their work directly impacts broader business objectives.
- VC-backed focus: For VC-backed startups, an AI leader’s ability to pitch their vision to investors is crucial. They must position AI as the centerpiece of a bold business transformation.
- PE-backed focus: In PE-backed companies, strong communication ensures that AI projects align with ROI-driven goals, while maintaining transparency with investors about timelines, challenges, and progress.
Adaptability: The Agile AI Leader
AI evolves constantly. New tools, technologies, and data emerge all the time. The best AI leaders don’t just react to change—they lead through it.
- Why it’s critical: AI leaders must not only guide teams through technical pivots but also drive strategic shifts when necessary. An adaptable leader identifies emerging opportunities and risks before they become apparent to others, positioning the company for success in a rapidly changing environment.
- In practice: I’ve seen AI leaders thrive when they pivoted strategies that seemed impossible just months before. For instance, a leader once helped a company shift from a product focus to a platform strategy when early market assumptions didn’t play out as expected. The key here wasn’t technical prowess—it was the ability to assess the situation, adjust plans, and lead teams through the transition.
- VC-backed focus: In startups, adaptability is critical because you don’t always know what’s going to work. AI leaders need to adjust quickly to feedback from customers, investors, and the market. Whether it’s tweaking AI products or altering business strategies, leaders need to pivot without losing momentum.
- PE-backed focus: For PE-backed companies, AI leaders need to adapt strategies quickly to meet aggressive ROI targets or pivot when projects don’t yield immediate results. It’s about making quick decisions under pressure without compromising the integrity of the overall AI vision.
Ethical Decision-Making: Navigating AI’s Minefield
AI presents new ethical challenges. How do we ensure that algorithms aren’t biased? How do we protect customer data? How do we balance innovation with responsibility?
- Why it’s critical: With AI being deployed at scale, the ethical decisions leaders make can shape how the company is perceived—and how successful AI projects will ultimately be. An ethical leader establishes trust with both customers and regulators, ensuring AI initiatives are responsible and aligned with broader societal goals.
- In practice: Ethical decision-making goes beyond compliance. I’ve worked with AI leaders who took proactive steps to build ethical frameworks for AI, particularly in high-risk industries like healthcare, where data privacy and fairness are top concerns. One leader set up an oversight committee to ensure that AI models met ethical standards, preemptively addressing potential biases in algorithms. This not only protected the company from legal challenges but also enhanced customer trust.
- VC-backed focus: For startups, ethical decision-making is key to establishing a solid foundation of trust with users and investors. A lack of transparency can damage a new company’s reputation before it’s even had a chance to grow.
- PE-backed focus: In PE-backed companies, ethical leadership is crucial to managing regulatory risks. Ensuring AI practices comply with both local and international regulations, particularly around data privacy and bias, is essential for avoiding costly fines and reputational damage.
How These Soft Skills Differ Across Company Types
Every company, regardless of its stage or size, faces unique challenges when it comes to AI leadership. Soft skills might look a little different depending on the environment:
- VC-backed companies: These companies are in the business of innovation and rapid growth. AI leaders here must not only be able to communicate their bold ideas but also be able to adapt quickly when things don’t go as planned. Ethical decision-making helps in establishing trust in the early stages.
- PE-backed companies: In these environments, AI leaders are under pressure to deliver results quickly and efficiently. Strong ethical decision-making ensures AI projects are sustainable, while adaptability helps integrate AI into legacy systems without disrupting operations.
- Later-stage companies: For larger companies, AI leaders need to be strong communicators who can manage complex, cross-functional teams. They need to drive AI initiatives across various departments while ensuring these initiatives align with both company-wide objectives and ethical standards.
How to Assess Soft Skills in the Hiring Process
Here are a few approaches I’ve found effective:
Communication
Ask how they engage with diverse audiences. Ask: “How have you communicated complex AI projects to non-technical stakeholders or executive teams? Can you give an example of a difficult conversation you’ve had regarding AI’s impact?”
Adaptability
A leader’s ability to navigate change can be assessed by understanding how they’ve handled uncertainty. Ask: “Tell me about a time when you had to pivot an AI strategy. What led to that decision, and what was the result?”
Ethical decision making
You want to know that they can make decisions when the stakes are high. Ask: “Can you describe a scenario where you had to balance innovation with ethical considerations? How did you handle it?”
Practical Tips for Hiring AI Leaders with Strong Soft Skills
Comprehensive evaluations
Go beyond technical assessments. Ensure that soft skills are part of the evaluation process, including behavioral interviews, peer feedback, and situational exercises.
Partner with experts
Working with an executive search firm like Riviera Partners can help you find AI leaders have the technical expertise and the right combination of soft skills to lead your AI initiatives forward.
When hiring AI leaders, the best candidates are those who bring both technical expertise and essential soft skills. Strong communication, adaptability, and ethical leadership will help your AI projects succeed and ensure your company stays ahead in a fast-moving landscape.
If you’re ready to dive deeper into the current AI leadership landscape, take a look at our State of AI Leadership report, where we explore trends, key leadership skills, and what companies are doing to stay competitive.
(Related: Do You Have a Data Evangelist on Your Team? The Role That Could Shape Your AI Future)
Kyle Langworthy is Head of AI/ML/Data Practice at Riviera Partners. Connect on LinkedIn
About Riviera Partners
Riviera Partners is a global executive search firm specializing in placing top talent in cybersecurity, AI, data, engineering, product management, and more. With a focus on understanding the unique needs of tech companies, we match organizations with leaders who can drive innovation and security in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. Contact us here.
