CEOs are reading fewer books because of AI—and it’s starting to worry them

You must adapt to an era where information synthesis is automated but critical judgment remains human. Deep reading cultivates the nuanced strategic thinking that AI summaries often miss. Consequently, skills in critical analysis, synthesis, and complex problem-solving will rise in value. You should pay attention to this shift regardless of your industry, as executive decision-making relies on these cognitive faculties. A smart professional would intentionally schedule time for deep work and long-form content consumption to maintain mental agility. Do not outsource your understanding entirely to algorithms. Instead, use AI to filter noise while you personally engage with core texts to build robust frameworks. This balance ensures you retain the contextual depth required for leadership, preventing the cognitive atrophy that concerns today’s CEOs.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are AI Strategy, Leadership, Artificial Intelligence and Business And Management — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.