Creating value with AI is one of the defining opportunities facing organizations today.
In a recent The Logic article, Mona Malone, BMO’s Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of People, Culture & Brand, and Kristin Milchanowski, BMO’s Chief AI & Quantum Officer and Founding Director of the BMO Institute for Applied AI & Quantum, explore what it takes to turn AI investment into measurable value and support BMO’s goal of $1 billion in AI-driven value creation by F’2030.
People create the conditions for AI success
Mona emphasizes adaptability, continuous development and leadership visibility as work evolves. Leaders shape adoption by using AI themselves, encouraging experimentation, acknowledging when they don’t know something, and creating space for teams to learn and build new capabilities together.
That foundation helps teams identify where AI can have the greatest impact. Kristin describes a focus on operational “traffic jams” where AI can reduce friction, improve workflows and strengthen results. Experimentation helps teams learn, but every application connects to a measurable business objective.
When people can see how AI improves the way they work, adoption gains momentum. Applied across critical workflows, those improvements strengthen client experience, productivity and operational effectiveness that drives value for our clients and BMO.
Trust creates the confidence to scale
Organizations move faster when accountability is clear.
BMO’s Responsible AI Framework is built on principles of empathy, integrity and trust, creating a shared foundation for how AI is developed and governed. With BMO’s “AI for All” course and other learning opportunities, team members learn to understand data inputs, evaluate recommendations and take responsibility for how AI outputs inform the final work product.
“People move faster when they understand the expectations, who's accountable, and the parameters in which they can operate. Clear frameworks reduce uncertainty and help teams focus their energy on the execution.”
Kristin also points to decision velocity — the ability to detect change, interpret information and act with confidence — as an increasingly important source of competitive advantage. Stronger decisions paired with faster execution can generate greater value from AI over time.
For organizations looking beyond adoption metrics, decision velocity offers a clearer view of how AI is influencing business performance and long-term value creation.
Turn AI investment into impact
Read the full The Logic article for Mona and Kristin’s perspectives on leadership, workflow redesign, accountability and the organizational practices that support AI-driven change.
