Featured Publication
White Paper
The Missing Workforce for the AI Age: Integrating Data & AI Expertise into Business Operations
Why do growing data & AI investments still struggle to deliver business value? One reason is a missing workforce that bridges operations and technology. This white paper introduces Domain Data & AI Experts (DDAIEs)—a new workforce combining operational knowledge with data & AI expertise and taking on
a distinct mission: Trailblaze, Consult, and Coach.
White Papers
The Missing Workforce for the AI Age:
Integrating Data & AI Expertise into Business Operations
Workforce design for the AI age
October 12, 2026
Integrated Operational Leadership Network (IOLN): Embedding Authority into Execution for the AI Age
Leadership structure for the AI age
June 19, 2026
Articles & Perspectives
Published in cdo Magazine · October 6, 2026
Why the Chief Data and AI Officer Role Keeps Struggling: Rethinking Executive Leadership for the AI Era
This article introduces the distinction between functional leadership and capability leadership and explores what that means for data & AI leadership in the AI era.
Book
Dr. Hong Gui, founder and principal consultant of Laurel Consulting LLC, is the author of the book "Empowerment: A Holistic Approach to Building Healthy Data Ecosystems".
Grounded in real-world experience and a clear strategic vision, the book offers a systematic approach to data strategy—encompassing organizational culture, leadership, system architecture, staffing models, and governance. Its central aim is to empower people by design, enabling organizations to create lasting value in the AI-driven era.
The book combines guiding principles with concrete examples, serving as the foundation for the Laurel Data Strategy Framework™. Read the description and a sample of the book here.