# Google Cloud executive says best AI leaders are a little bit off the wall

Digest AI · Enterprise & Industry · published 2026-09-27T06:41:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/google-cloud-executive-says-best-ai-leaders-are-a-little-bit-off-the-w

## Summary

Richard Seroter, chief evangelist for Google Cloud, spoke at HubSpot’s Unbound conference in Boston about the lack of a clear blueprint for AI adoption. He described the process as "chaotic innovation" and warned that the shift from 20 % thinking and 80 % execution to 80 % deep thinking can lead to productivity addiction and burnout among top talent.

Seroter urged leaders to embrace a bit of craziness, encouraging experimentation and the willingness to fail repeatedly in short cycles. He also emphasized the need to protect and support employees who are pushing the limits of AI, noting that without such support, enterprise innovation could lose its distinctiveness and risk widespread fatigue.

The talk highlights the human side of rapid AI deployment and suggests that flexible, risk‑taking leadership is essential for sustainable progress.

## Key points

- Google Cloud executive Richard Seroter says there is no blueprint for AI and chaotic innovation is normal
- He warns of productivity addiction and burnout as teams shift from 20% thinking to 80% deep thinking
- He argues leaders should be a bit "crazy" to drive experimentation and protect talent

## Why it matters

The remarks highlight the human cost of rapid AI adoption and suggest that flexible, risk‑taking leadership is needed to sustain innovation without burnout.

## Sources

1. [The best AI leaders are ‘a little bit off the wall,’ says Google Cloud executive](https://zdnet.com/innovation/google-ai-productivity-addiction) (zdnet.com, 2026-09-27)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Google Cloud executive says best AI leaders are a little bit off the wall", 27 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/google-cloud-executive-says-best-ai-leaders-are-a-little-bit-off-the-w

---

Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record. Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse
JSON: https://digestai.news/story/google-cloud-executive-says-best-ai-leaders-are-a-little-bit-off-the-w.json