Kim Baroudy

How cognitive and physical AI are reinventing enterprise execution AI is no longer just a tool. It is becoming a workforce. Reasoning models and agentic skills now enable AI agents to execute complex cognitive tasks with limited supervision, while physical AI extends automation into the physical world. Together, these advances make close to 60 percent of work hours theoretically automatable. Yet the promise remains largely unrealized.

Leading European executives are investing more broadly in AI than ever—yet they struggle to convert that investment into measurable results. Chances are that every European consumer industry executive has had some version of the same conversation this year. Boards want to understand where AI investments are going. CFOs want to see measurable returns. Strategy teams point to an expanding set of AI initiatives across marketing, customer experience, supply chain, and technology development.

Europe is starting to reform its investment environment, but there’s no time to lose. Standout companies can take the lead with bold strategic moves that drive their own performance—and a continent’s. There’s been no shortage of attention on Europe’s competitiveness and investment gap.