AI at the speed of leadership: Brad Wheeler on building capacity, not chasing tools

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than any technology wave leaders have experienced before – but the real challenge isn’t the tools. It’s leadership, governance, and how organizations build lasting capability amid constant change.

In the inaugural episode of the acceligence videocast, Justin Greis sits down with Brad Wheeler, James H. Rudy Professor of Information Systems at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and former Vice President for IT and CIO at IU. Drawing on decades of executive leadership and research, Brad offers a grounded, practical perspective on what feels familiar about AI, what is fundamentally different this time, and why pace matters more than hype.

The conversation explores:

👑 Why AI adoption is ultimately a leadership problem, not a technology problem
🏃🏻‍♀️‍➡️ How the CIO role is evolving, and why getting it right has never mattered more
🎓 AI’s impact on higher education, teaching, and credentialing
🌻 The tension between letting “100 flowers bloom” and building a sustainable AI garden
🤖 How organizations can invest in AI capacity without locking themselves into brittle platforms
🤝 The human skills leaders and students must develop to thrive in an AI-shaped future

This episode is for CIOs, CEOs, board members, educators, and anyone responsible for guiding organizations through rapid technological change.

About Brad Wheeler
Brad Wheeler is the James H. Rudy Professor of Information Systems at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, Advisor to the Dean for Technology and Innovation, and Director of the Kelley Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. He previously served nearly two decades in senior IT leadership at Indiana University, including 13 years as Vice President for IT and Chief Information Officer, overseeing enterprise systems, cybersecurity, supercomputing, and clinical IT across seven campuses.

Learn more at acceligence.com.