The story below is about an exec who was in that 67%… until a massive potential paycheck changed everything.

Here’s the wake-up call that began the transformation from skeptic to advocate…

Last week, I had a session with a senior executive from one of the largest insurance companies in the country.

“Column fodder.” 📋
That’s what he called his company’s position.

They were pulled in last-minute as the third bidder on a giant account—just to satisfy a board rule requiring three proposals.

→ The incumbent had a decade-long relationship
→ Another firm had been courting the client for over a year
→ His company? Zero relationship. Zero prep. Zero chance.

But he refused to phone it in.

Despite being an AI skeptic, he knew he had to try something different.

Late nights. Just him and his laptop. 💻
He took the advice—and jumped into ChatGPT and Grok to structure the proposal, build a sharp presentation, and help him articulate value.

No team. No resources. Just AI as his assistant…

The result? He won!!! 🏆
→ Beat the long-term incumbent
→ Beat the firm with the year-long head start

The CEO told him:
“Honestly, you had maybe a 1% chance. But you, & your proposal stood out.”

The real shocker?
He went from AI skeptic to advocate in one deal!

Leadership lesson? 💡
You don’t have to become an AI expert, but you better get smart fast…
Because someone else is using AI to win the business you used to own.

What’s your biggest AI breakthrough moment? Drop it in the comments. 👇

Message Jim Vickers for more real-world AI leadership stories.