From the Shadow to the Spotlight
For decades, the COO has been seen as the operator behind the CEO’s vision. That dynamic is shifting—fast.
In 2025, the COO is no longer just the steward of execution. We are the architects of transformation, the integrators of human and machine potential and the visible leaders of enterprise reinvention.
The role of the Chief Operating Officer has always been elusive—there is no universal job description, and scope varies dramatically by company size, industry and leadership culture. Yet one truth binds COOs together: responsibility for making the business work.
Today, however, the role is no longer just about keeping operations efficient. It has become the nerve center of transformation—and the COO is increasingly stepping out from behind the shadow of the CEO to lead the most important enterprise shift of our era: the integration of artificial intelligence into the heart of business strategy.
Why Now?
The 2020s tested operations leadership like never before—pandemics, geopolitical volatility, ESG demands, hybrid workforces and supply chain shocks.
Now, one force is rewriting the playbook: Artificial Intelligence.
• 62% of companies have already embedded AI into at least one core function (Deloitte, 2024).
• By 2027, 80% of operational leaders will be directly accountable for AI-driven outcomes (Gartner, 2025).
This isn’t IT’s turf anymore. It’s ours.
From Executor ➝ Transformer
Traditionally, COOs have been the stewards of execution, ensuring strategies set at the top were implemented with discipline. But in today’s environment, strategy and execution are inseparable.
That’s why CEOs are increasingly turning to their COOs not just to manage efficiency, but to architect transformation:
AI deployment across workflows – From supply chain forecasting to workforce optimization, COOs are deciding where and how AI creates measurable value.
Cultural change leadership – Embedding AI isn’t about software; it’s about shifting how people work.
Resilience and sustainability – Integrating ESG metrics, risk frameworks and AI-driven scenario planning into daily operations.
Cross-functional innovation – Acting as integrators across marketing, finance, HR and IT to accelerate AI-driven performance.
The COO is no longer “second-in-command.” Increasingly, they are the chief transformation officer—the executive who makes the leap from AI experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption.
"We aren’t just running operations—we are re-wiring them."
AI as Your Strategic Thought Partner
At COO Forum, we’ve watched conversations shift dramatically. In 2023, members asked “What AI tools should I be exploring?” By 2025, the dialogue has advanced to “How do I embed AI in board prep, M&A due diligence and frontline decision-making?”
Forward-looking COOs are treating AI not just as a tool, but as a strategic thought partner—a system that challenges assumptions, aggregates insights and reveals non-obvious opportunities. This is the new frontier: COOs leveraging AI not only to reduce cost, but to create growth, resilience and strategic agility.
The Expanding COO Toolbox
AI is now the centerpiece, but it sits within a broader, expanded COO remit that includes:
Digital transformation and cybersecurity oversight
ESG accountability and regulatory compliance
Hybrid workforce management and talent upskilling
Investor confidence and board-level innovation narratives
A recent Spencer Stuart analysis underscores the shift: nearly half of COOs now bring prior backgrounds in strategy or finance, reflecting the hybrid leader companies now demand. This is a far cry from the traditional “operations-only” resume.
The Leadership Test of Our Time
Will some COOs evolve into “Chief AI Officers”? Perhaps. But the deeper trend is clear: the COO is reclaiming the center of enterprise leadership.
AI has created a new test of leadership—one that demands vision, speed, and execution. CEOs may set the tone, but COOs are now the ones wiring AI into the organization’s DNA, closing the gap between strategy and action and defining what operational excellence means in the AI era.
The COO is no longer just the steward of operations. In 2025 and beyond, the COO is:
The architect of transformation
The integrator of human and machine potential
The visible leader of enterprise reinvention
The role has never been more complex—or more critical. And for those willing to lead boldly, the future belongs to them.
Coming Soon!
The 2025 State of AI in Operations Study / AI COO Certificate Program
We've partnered with AI Leadership and Geoff Woods to not only survey top COOs about their AI readiness and usage, and to turn those insights into a practical playbook and the upcoming AI COO Certificate program!
Watch for more information.