The
Guide.

Alan W. Brown

I help leaders separate AI hype from AI reality. Academic rigor meets frontline experience.

Practitioner

30+ years building enterprise software at scale. Former IBM Distinguished Engineer and founding CTO. I've built the systems, scaled the teams, and navigated the messy realities of digital transformation.

IBM // Rational // Multiple Startups

Researcher

Professor in Digital Economy at the University of Exeter. Led major UK National Research Centres. My work is grounded in how organizations actually change—not vendor promises or consultant fantasies.

University of Exeter // EPSRC Centres

Advisor

Strategic advisor to the Ministry of Defence, pharma, energy, and government agencies. I translate complex AI issues into decision-ready insights for leaders navigating high-stakes uncertainty.

MoD // NHS // Energy Sector

The Philosophy

"Success in the Age of AI isn't about being the smartest or the luckiest. It's the ability to validate strategies before committing to them."

Most transformation advice is written by people who've never shipped a system, led a team through failure, or sat in a boardroom explaining why the AI pilot didn't work. I've done all three—many times.

The Books

2024

Surviving & Thriving in the Age of AI

A practical guide for leaders navigating AI adoption. The Five Paradoxes, the reality of transformation, and what actually works. Written for executives who need clarity, not hype.

Get the Book → 2019

Delivering Digital Transformation

The foundational framework: Four Forces reshaping markets, the Faster/Cheaper/Better lens, and why Architecture is Destiny. The concepts that started it all.

Get the Book →

The Sunday Dispatches

Every Sunday for over three years, I've shared exclusive insights on AI transformation, digital strategy, and organizational resilience. No fluff. No sponsored content. Just signal.

Subscribe Free →

"Signal over Noise."

Read by leaders at IBM, Google, Amazon, the UK Government, and organizations across 50+ countries.