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The Truth About Writing a Book on AI
Charlene Li
February 03, 2026
You know what everyone told me when my co-author, Dr. Katia Walsh, and I started writing Winning with AI?
"You must be insane. Things are changing constantly. Your book will be outdated before it even hits the shelves."
And you know what? They were 100% right about the first part. Things are constantly in flux.
But here’s what they got wrong: This book was never about technology alone. It’s always been about leadership and strategy in times of unprecedented technological progress. And those lessons stand the test of time.
We just wrapped up the manuscript, and honestly, the book that's coming out in March looks nothing like what we started writing back in 2023. We threw out half of what we wrote. We completely pivoted our approach. We cut sections that we loved, and wrote new sections to meet the moment.
And every painful cut, every frustrating detour, every moment of doubt taught me something critical about leading through transformation.
When Reality Doesn't Match Your Plan
We started with a book called "Threats, Bets, and No Regrets: How to Create a Winning Generative AI Strategy." We were going to explain what AI could do, what it couldn't do, the good and the bad.
We ended up with "Winning with AI: The 90-Day Blueprint for Success." A completely different book focused on how to get started, how to create value, and how to build processes step-by-step. Processes that you can put into action immediately, and see results.
The shift happened when we realized leaders didn't need another explainer. They needed a roadmap. They needed to know what to do on Monday morning.
So in March 2024, we created the 90-day blueprint. We structured it into 12 weeks with specific steps. We stopped trying to be comprehensive and started building something that would deliver value from day one.
Friction Is a Gift (When Trust Is Present)
Katia and I have known each other for 27 years. We met at Forrester Research in 1999, went through the experience of being young moms in the tech world together, and built careers side by side. We’ve gone through life together, and seen each other succeed.
Most importantly, we trust each other. During the writing process, that trust allowed for an incredibly high level of disagreement and discussion, always with the underpinning of the greatest respect and kindness for each other.. We're both strong-minded. We both have expertise. And we both have the humility to know there's still so much to learn from each other.
What I Learned About Myself
Writing this book was a mirror. Here's what I saw:
🫣 Imposter syndrome is real. At the beginning, I felt I didn't know enough about AI to be credible. Having Katia there as a hands-on practitioner was crucial. She'd tell me when my thinking was solid and when it wasn't grounded in reality.
🤖 I can over-rely on AI. When I felt time pressure, I relied overly on AI, which made my writing less sharp. I was trying to get words on paper without enough direction. It was a wake-up call to slow down and use AI appropriately—not as a shortcut, but as a tool.
🏃 Momentum is hard to maintain. Late 2024 was rough. Personal lives and work lives collided. There were definite lulls. Then January 2025 hit and we looked at each other and said we need to finish this book. The new year brought new energy, and we finished our manuscript in November 2025.
🧠 I became less of a cheerleader, more of a realist optimist. I naturally tend to be a knee-jerk AI cheerleader. Now I pause and listen. Where are people coming from? What are their biggest concerns? Their obstacles? Their hopes?
A Different Kind of Book
My previous books dealt with sweeping explanations of disruption. I love that expansiveness; the stories, the detail, the big ideas.
This book was different. Yes, it's expansive. But it's also a blueprint. It had to be specific. Detailed. Useful in ways you can't get from a podcast or newsletter.
The result is over 250 pages with step-by-step guidance on creating AI fluency programs, developing AI-ready cultures, building AI roadmaps that support business strategy. Writing those details in a way business leaders could understand was excruciatingly hard.
Who This Book Is For
Let’s start with this: Our book is not for someone who already has a solid AI roadmap. It's not for organizations already delivering organization-wide value with AI. And it's definitely not for workforces that are already completely AI fluent. If you are one of these companies, congratulations on well along the way to winning with AI.
My hunch is that there’s something in the book for everyone else. We're all still learning. We all have work to do.
One controversial take I'll share: Your CIO may not be the right person to lead your AI efforts. AI is a technology, yes. But it's also a strategic business opportunity. A business leader needs to lead your AI efforts in collaboration with your technology people.
If you absolve yourself of responsibility and just hand it to IT to run as a technology effort, you'll only see marginal efficiency gains. You'll never get transformative value.
The One Thing You Can Do Today
If you're not creating transformative value where AI supports your business strategy, ask yourself: What is my business strategy? How am I using AI to support it? What are the most important steps I need to take right now to realize that value?
Think big with your strategy. Start small. Scale fast.
Your Turn
What's been your biggest challenge in getting started with AI? Is it knowing where to begin? Is it moving from pilots to real value? Or something else entirely?
What I Can't Stop Talking About
Have you signed up for book updates yet? Get news and updates here.
I jumped into 32-degree water in Antarctica, not just for the thrill of it, but because doing hard things helps me become a more resilient, adaptable, and curious leader. Here’s how.
Staying connected to your values is key. This is especially true during times of technological change. Identifying your beliefs, your values, and your mission will be your North Star as we enter what will be one of the biggest AI disruption years yet.
My Upcoming Appearances/Travel
Feb 3: Ragan AI-Horizons Conference, Keynote, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Feb 27-28: OrthoForum 2026, Keynote, Tampa, FL
Mar 12: Private event, Oklahoma City, OK
Mar 25: Private event, Las Vegas, NV
May 7: YPO Global Marketing Summit, Keynote, San Francisco, CA
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