Amplify Your Insight

If you’ve been hesitant to try AI, you’re not alone — and you’re not behind. Many board directors are still figuring out where AI fits into their governance work.

The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert to benefit from AI. You just need to be curious and willing to see with your own eyes. That’s what it means to be an independent thinker.

This week’s edition of The Savvy Director explores how AI tools — especially DirectorPrep’s ChatDPQ™ — can harness AI to support your role as a director by amplifying your insight, sharpening your oversight, and strengthening your ability to think independently.

Why Directors Hesitate and Why That’s Okay

Let’s start with the hesitation. Maybe you’ve thought:

• “I’m not tech-savvy enough for this.”
• “AI feels risky or untrustworthy.”
• “I don’t want to share sensitive board information.”

These are valid concerns. But here’s the reality — AI has already emerged within many of the tools that boards use regularly, such as board portals, to organize their messaging and meeting materials.

Using AI to support your board work isn’t about replacing your human judgment. It’s about amplifying it.

And as a savvy director, you already have what it takes to engage with AI responsibly — independent thinking skills.

Independent Thinking — The Fifth Habit of the Savvy Director

At DirectorPrep, Independent Thinking is the fifth key habit in our Savvy Director Framework. It’s about:

• Asking better questions.
• Challenging assumptions.
• Seeking diverse perspectives.
• Staying curious and open-minded.

AI tools — when used thoughtfully — can support all of these behaviors. As a boost to personal productivity, DirectorPrep’s ChatDPQ™ helps you explore new angles, surface insights you might not have time to find, and prepare more effectively for board discussions.

In short, AI becomes a thinking partner, not a decision-maker.

The Power of a Well-Timed Question

Imagine being the director who asks the one question that shifts the entire conversation — who sees the issue from a new angle, or who connects the dots no one else noticed. That’s not science fiction. That’s what happens when you combine your experience with the right kind of support.

In the boardroom, timing is everything. A well-placed question can unlock a stuck conversation, reveal a hidden risk, or spark a breakthrough. ChatDPQ helps you prepare those questions in advance — questions tailored to your role, your agenda, and your board’s context. It’s like having a governance coach in your pocket, ready to help you shine when it matters most.

ChatDPQ™ — A Safe Place to Start

Many directors hesitate to try AI because they think they need to be tech-savvy. But the truth is, you don’t need to understand how AI works. You just need to know what it can do for you.

ChatDPQ is built for directors, not tech developers. It’s a safe, private space to explore ideas, test your thinking, and prepare for meetings with confidence. You don’t need to be an expert to be the most insightful voice in the room.

And because ChatDPQ is built on Microsoft’s Responsible AI framework, your queries stay private and secure — unlike public-facing AI tools that may use your data to train their models.

For a quick walk-through, click to visit our ‘Learning in the Moment’ series for a variety of sample topics you may encounter in your board prep. The short demo videos show how easy it is for you to use ChatDPQ as your coach or boardroom buddy to harness AI in a safe, secure, and thoughtful way.

You Don’t Need to Be an AI Expert

Let’s be clear — AI isn’t about replacing directors. It’s about helping you do what you already do, but even better.

You already know how to ask good questions, think critically, and bring your experience to the table. AI just helps you do it faster, more confidently, and with greater foresight.

Think of ChatDPQ as a tool that helps you:

• Clarify your thinking.
• Prepare for complex discussions.
• Stay ahead of emerging issues.
• Contribute meaningfully—even when time is tight.

You don’t need to be an AI expert. You just need to be willing to try.

The ‘Learning in the Moment’ demo videos show that being clear with what you want from the chat tool is a key to success. If you’re not satisfied with the initial result, ask yourself whether there is any ambiguity in what you are looking for. Have you been specific and directive in your prompt?

We’ve developed a prompt guide to assist with using ChatDPQ™ or similar tools. Sometimes just changing a word or two adds to the clarity needed to generate great results that will help amplify your thinking as you get ready for your next board event.

Allow me to suggest there’s everything to gain and nothing to lose when we amplify our board insight using AI tools built specifically for board directors to do their work.

Why not give it a try? ChatDPQ is already included with your DirectorPrep membership. Click here to login. There’s a good chance new features have been added since your last visit.

For future members, we offer a 30-day free trial membership plus a 30-day money back guarantee if you want to explore further. We’re optimistic you’ll find great benefit in using ChatDPQ™ for learning in the moment without having to spend hundreds of dollars on expensive classroom training that fades when the sessions are done. ChatDPQ™ is available to you 24/7, every day.

Other Tools (Briefly)

While ChatDPQ is purpose-built for directors, there are other tools that can support your board work when used securely and responsibly.

Microsoft Copilot

• Embedded in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams.
• Helps you summarize, draft, and organize board materials.
• Secure within enterprise environments.

Claude 4 (Anthropic)

• Known for long-context reasoning and safety-first design.
• Great for summarizing long documents and exploring governance scenarios.
• Use with caution for confidential content unless accessed via secure enterprise channels.

Gemini 2.5 (Google)

• Multimodal capabilities and long-context analysis.
• Useful for visual data and cross-referencing reports.
• Best used within Google’s enterprise-grade platforms.

⚠️ Not Recommended for Confidential Board Use

Some AI tools, though powerful, aren’t designed with boardroom confidentiality in mind:

• Grok (xAI) offers real-time data access and advanced reasoning, but it’s integrated with X (formerly Twitter) and designed for open, uncensored responses.
• Public versions of ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini may store or use your data to improve their models.

Here’s the bottom line — avoid uploading or discussing confidential board materials in public-facing AI tools. They are often free to use but they don’t provide the security and privacy guardrails that a board director needs.

Getting Started — One Step at a Time

You don’t need to completely overhaul your board prep routine overnight. Here are a few simple ways to begin:

• Try ChatDPQ to prepare a question for your next board meeting.
• Use it to explore a topic you’re unsure about or want to understand better.
• Reflect on your role. What’s one area where you’d like to bring more insight or foresight?
• Talk to your board chair or governance committee about how AI might support the board’s effectiveness.

Your Takeaways

• AI isn’t here to replace directors. It’s here to amplify your insight, sharpen your oversight, and elevate your impact.
• As a savvy director, you already have the mindset and thinking skills to make the most of AI.
• So, here’s your challenge — What’s one way you’ll use AI to support your independent thinking before your next board meeting?

Resources:

• How Pioneering Boards Are Using AI. Stanislav Shekshnia and Valery Yakubovich. Harvard Business Review. July-August 2025.
• Independent Thinking – The 5th Key Habit of The Savvy Director. © DirectorPrep.
• AI Use in the Boardroom: Bridging Hesitation and Opportunity. Joyce Li. AI Simplified for Leaders. March 2025.
• Can AI be trusted to influence governance and board-level decision-making? Phil Lim. Diligent. January 2025.
• The Impact of Generative AI on Corporate Governance Practices: Addressing policy gaps as AI tools influence governance workflows. Director’s Institute. April 2025.

Featured Tools

• ChatDPQ by DirectorPrep
• ChatDPQ Learning in the Moment Series
• Microsoft Copilot
• Claude (Anthropic)
• Gemini (Google)
• Grok (xAI)

Thank you.

Scott

Scott Baldwin is a certified corporate director (ICD.D) and co-founder of DirectorPrep.com – an online membership with practical tools for board directors who choose a growth mindset.

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