CEO expectations for AI-driven growth remain high heading into 2026, even as evidence shows most AI investments are failing to deliver meaningful returns. The result is a set of emerging risks—from premature layoffs and cultural dissonance to declining mental fitness, low-quality AI output, and new security and governance challenges—that threaten performance if left unaddressed. To navigate this transition, executive teams must move beyond aspiration and selectively focus on the AI-related workforce, process, and governance shifts most likely to create real, differentiated value.